How to Improve the Function of State Parent and Problem-Solving by Family Court: Focused on so-called Protective Cases

Abstract

In the 21{st} century, juvenile crimes, delinquencies, and domestic violences have much more attracted social attention, which cannot be separated from the changed social environment, where, on the one hand, the traditional ‘head of family’ system not only as a social entity, but also as a legal system has eventually been abolished in 2005, and where, on the other hand, the conflict between traditional and new value system has arisen as the ideology of democracy, equality, and respect to human rights has rapidly entered the Korean society since the end of 20ᵗʰ century. In other words, the traditional way of dealing with problematic behaviors of adolescents and family members against other family members has begun to face limitations. Coincidently, the problem-solving function of the family court has been emphasized. This paper is the result of research, whereby what systemic change would be required to have the family court dealing with juvenile cases, dependent children cases, and domestic violence victim cases function as the problem-solving court and what roles the family court investigators should play for this purpose have been investigated. This paper sought to make clear that the fact that juvenile cases, dependent children cases, and domestic violence victim cases are under the jurisdiction of the family court reflects the unique Korean state parent idea. In this regard, Korean family court’s cases mentioned above are similar to western juvenile courts and dependency courts, which have developed in close relation with the state parent idea. That being said, western state parent idea has developed as with the local authorities’ intervention into families for the protection of abused and delinquent children, and juvenile courts and family courts have played as assistants and facilitators for local authorities to do partnership with families as the state parent idea changed, whereas the state parent idea has developed in Korea only in the judicial proceedings for abused and delinquent children cases, where public prosecutors and judges play role as state parents. Based on this unique development, this paper argues that transforming the family court into the problem-solving court is recommended to facilitate local authorities intervening into family matters for the protection of abused and delinquent children and domestic violence victims. For this purpose, this paper suggests that the legal provisions related to the proceedings and protection measures of juvenile cases, child abuse cases, and domestic violence cases should be reformed for partnership between the state and families to materialize. Furthermore, this paper suggests that expertise of family investigators should be developed to facilitate the suggested reformation, and that the social welfare and protection function of family courts, which have been introduced in some family courts to meet immediate needs of protecting vulnerable parties and participants in the proceedings, should be delegated to an independent support agency under the court.