Holistic rehabilitation essential for deliquent juveniles – Hunter

THE DEPARTMENT of Correctional Services (DCS) is taking a holistic approach to rehabilitating young girls in state care at the South Camp Road Juvenile Remand and Correctional Centre in Kingston.

Commissioner of Corrections Ina Hunter said that an approximately $248-million (US$1.93-million) donation from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has enabled the facilitation of several social reintegration programmes at the centre, all tailored towards improving the girls’ lives.

She said that the programmes, being carried out with support from the Organization of American States (OAS), are designed to enhance the youngsters’ emotional well-being, which, it is anticipated, will contribute to reduced recidivism and, ultimately, reduced crime and violence.

TRAIN STAFF

The OAS’s involvement entails assigning its members to the South Camp Road-based Centre to teach the various programmes to the staff there.

They train them in areas such as how to impart educational information to the different age groups, technical and vocational training, as well as recreational activities such as yoga.

Hunter noted that the South Camp Road facility, which is one of four housing children and the only one accommodating girls only, has experienced a significant and positive impact resulting from the OAS-implemented programmes.

“We offer life skills, remedial training, and vocational activities such as sewing, home economics and animation,” she said.

The commissioner pointed out that the institution’s gender-specific rehabilitation programme results from the increasing number of girls displaying delinquent behaviour who are committed to the facility.