The criminal law assessment of young adults in Hungary
Young adulthood, criminal justice reform, developmentally appropriate sentencing, legal capacity and maturity, age-responsive criminal law
This study examines the conceptual and normative foundations for recognizing young adulthood (ages 18–24) as a distinct category in Hungarian criminal law. While current legislation treats individuals as fully responsible adults from age 18, empirical research from psychology, sociology, and criminology suggests that many young adults lack the psychosocial maturity typically associated with full adulthood. The analysis draws on national and comparative legal sources, judicial practice, and international frameworks to assess whether young adults warrant differentiated treatment in criminal justice. Findings reveal a normative gap in Hungarian law: the concept of “young adult” is inconsistently applied, lacking statutory definition and leading to judicial ambiguity. Based on legal theory, empirical criminal statistics, and comparative models, the study proposes the introduction of a formal legal definition within the Criminal Code and the inclusion of a new mitigating provision under Chapter IX. This reform would enhance legal clarity, promote proportional sentencing, and respect both judicial discretion and constitutional principles. The paper concludes that codifying young adulthood as a distinct penal category is both necessary and feasible for a more just and developmentally informed criminal justice system.
SZABÓ, BERNADETT – CZEBE, ANDRÁS
The challenges of sustainability in the decision-making mechanism of democratic states
Paradigm shift, natural contract, social activism, participatory democracy
The problem of sustainability is one of the most important and pressing problems of the modern state. Although the history of the so-called green movement that is linked to the emergence of industrial society in the modern age, (to industrialism), in its contemporary form it is existing also a social movement, a political ideology – see, among others, green parties – and a state (international) obligation. What distinguishes the recent green movements today from the earlier conservation movement is its emphasis on science and research. The main aim of this study is to examine how democratic – above all, the participatory and deliberative democracies – political systems are dealing with the new challenges of sustainability and how they are finding political solutions to the demands of civil society. In parallel, the interdependence between social activism, democratic policy decision-making and international cooperation is worth considering, as coordination between sub-state and supra-state actors is needed to address sustainability.
EGRESI, KATALIN
The freedom of research and university autonomy from the viewpoint of technology transfer...
University autonomy, freedom of research, technology transfer, intellectual property rights, higher education law
This study explores the evolving dynamics of university autonomy and the freedom of research considering increasing expectations for technology transfer within higher education institutions. Focusing on Hungary, Austria (Styria), and Germany (Brandenburg), the paper provides a comparative legal analysis of how these Central European jurisdictions reconcile traditional academic freedoms with the modern entrepreneurial role of universities. It addresses how constitutional provisions, higher education laws, and patent regulations shape institutional and individual rights in the context of academic capitalism. By analysing legal frameworks and key court decisions, the study tensions between institutional autonomy and researchers’ rights, particularly regarding intellectual property and administrative governance. The findings suggest that while Brandenburg provides a model of integration between legal clarity and institutional support for innovation, Hungary and Austria reveal gaps in the horizontal protection of academic freedoms and the legal recognition of researchers' roles in knowledge commercialization.
STIPKOVITS, TAMÁS ISTVÁN
Agenda 2030: Future challenges in the context of the sustainability of occupational safety...
Safety of workplace, sustainability, Agenda 2030, occupational safety and health (OSH), digital working
The study examines the sustainability of occupational safety and health in the light of the objectives of the 2030 Agenda framework, with a particular focus on the challenges posed by new technologies and digital forms of work. Significant progress has been made in reducing the number of fatal accidents at work in the European Union over the last three decades, but major challenges remain, particularly in protecting workers’ rights and creating safe working environments. New technologies, global labour market changes and sectoral shifts are creating new risks at work that require more complex and comprehensive occupational safety and health responses. OECD guidelines and international initiatives to measure the quality of the working environment are contributing to improving well-being at work, but their impact remains limited. Ensuring decent work and a safe working environment is a priority of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda and an important policy objective in Hungary. Improving new work organization practices and the situation of workers on digital platforms will require particular attention in the future.
NAGYNÉ, HOKSTOK KINGA
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