Selecting Protective Measures for Juvenile Victims of Crime: An Expert-Based Decision Framework for Child Protection in Montenegro

Juvenile victims of crime face the risk of secondary traumatization during court proceedings. In practice, the selection of protective measures often depends on judges’ subjective decisions rather than systematic evaluation. This research addresses this issue by developing a decision-support system to select protective measures for juvenile victims of crime in Montenegro. Here, 22 experts from the justice and social protection systems evaluated 6 protective measures against 10 criteria using a fuzzy approach. The results of the fuzzy SiWeC (Simple Weight Calculation) method show that experts prioritize Additional trauma prevention, Recovery support, and Physical safety as the most important criteria. The results of the fuzzy TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) method show that professional support emerged as the highest-rated protective measure, followed by video-link testimony and identity anonymization. Sensitivity analysis indicates that no single measure fits all cases; thus, the choice should be tailored to the specific needs and circumstances of each case. This research offers a transparent, repeatable framework for judges and social workers when making decisions about protective measures. It contributes to more consistent protection for juvenile victims. The findings also have direct implications for legislative reform, resource allocation, and professional training in Montenegro to better assist juvenile victims of crime.