Christmas is for child offenders, too – BJMP

Christmas is for the children, so they say. Eleven-year-old Richie and other children in conflict with the law (CICL) in Marikina received an early Christmas treat yesterday from the staff of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

“Richie said he enjoys storytelling sessions and conversations with other kids,” Jail Director Serafin Barretto Jr. noted.

Barreto said Richie’s offense was related to illegal drugs. The boy has been in the jail facility for some time. Marikina Youth Homes is a temporary shelter for CICL, while their criminal liabilities are being determined in courts. Social workers and psychologist are assigned to look after them.

“His innocence could melt hearts,” Baretto said. “He smiles a lot, but you can feel that he misses the normal life he enjoys outside, compared with the limited spaces of their temporary residence.”

Barretto visited Marikina Youth Homes yesterday as part of the BJMP’s initiatives to educate the public on different interventions to combat crime through offenders’ rehabilitation.

BJMP personnel, with mascots JO1 Matino and JO1 Matapat, sang and danced to the youth’s delight. The home residents also received gifts from the BJMP chief and the Marikina City Jail’s warden.

The Christmas program, dubbed “Handog Kaloob ni Ka Steve,” aims to encourage CICL to maintain good behavior and close relationship with God while undergoing various behavioral intervention programs at the facility.

In his dialogue with 69 youth offenders at Marikina Youth Homes, Barretto reminded the CICL to pray for enlightenment.

“No matter how difficult their situations are, the good Lord is always willing to embrace them regardless of their circumstances in life,” said Barretto.

He also reiterated the importance of gratefulness to God and how important for them to change their ways once they are back to their respective families.

According to Chona Juatas, one of the resident psychologists at Marikina Youth Homes, local government units need to establish youth homes catering to juvenile delinquents.

Juatas said the needs of CICL are unique, particularly the sets of interventions necessary to reform them into more productive citizens. The youth homes, she said, would serve this purpose.

“It is really one of our advocacies, aside from taking care of these youths, to educate also the parents in the communities on the possible implications of their actions,” Juatas said.

“Most of the cases we handled came from dysfunctional families and out-of-school youths, so it is critical for us to teach the communities, especially the parents on how to take good care of their children, who began to manifest deviant behaviors,” she added.