Assistance of the psychologist expert in the justice bodies to protect minors in Kosovo

Abstract

This paper reviews the assistance of a psychologist expert in the justice bodies to protect minors in Kosovo. Research data on the study of normative acts (laws and international acts) regarding the role of the expert psychologist have been analyzed since from September 1999 until 2019. The purpose of this study is to assess the role of an expert psychologist, conforming to national and international legal norms in the protection of minors at the police, prosecution and court organs, where the analysis of these legal norms has been used over the years. In the case of looking at the protection of minors the expert psychologist is involved in all stages of criminal and civil proceedings before the competent authorities. The results show that the role of the psychologist expert in justice bodies in Kosovo is based on national and international law, but in this highly sensitive work Kosovo psychologist experts must have their own association to represent their requests as good as possible to the competent authorities and for the delegation of the name of the expert psychologist at the request of the judge. Moreover, it has been found that until now the determination of the expert psychologist hired has been made with the will of the judge. This paper contributes to existing scientific literature, especially in the fields of criminology, victimology and forensic psychology. Moreover, this paper is likely to contribute to the work of the Association of Psychological Experts, the Victims' Association and in the work of various minors' protection associations.