Development of a community empowerment model by associate judges at Phang Nga Juvenile and family court for juvenile rehabilitation and reintegration

Abstract

This research develops a systematic community empowerment model through examination of associate judges' practices at Phang Nga Juvenile and Family Court in Thailand. The study aims to understand how associate judges facilitate community engagement in juvenile rehabilitation and create a replicable framework for community-based juvenile justice reform. A mixed-methods research design was employed, analyzing data from 33 questionnaire respondents and 13 in-depth interviews with diverse stakeholders. Data collection utilized structured questionnaires with validated instruments, semi-structured interview guides, and systematic document analysis of court records, project reports, and implementation materials. This research identified five core roles of associate judges in community empowerment: community-court liaison, legal education facilitation, network building, rehabilitation supervision, and restorative justice mediation. Statistical analysis revealed a significant positive correlation (r=0.572, p<.05) between community empowerment initiatives and rehabilitation effectiveness. Through systematic analysis of these practices, a four-step community empowerment model emerged: (1) facilitating community participation, (2) disseminating legal knowledge, (3) building collaborative networks, and (4) monitoring and evaluation. The significant positive relationship between community empowerment initiatives and rehabilitation effectiveness validates the model's effectiveness in improving juvenile justice outcomes compared to traditional court-centered interventions.