Alternatives to incarceration for juveniles

More and more there has been a concern with how to deal with juvenile offenders. When juveniles commit crimes there are often few rehabilitative options to address underlying reasons for offending at the disposal of the Criminal Justice System. Because of this, often times juvenile offenders end up in prison.

Christine Brooks Senior Probation Officer - Youth

However, putting children/juveniles in prison should not be the first choice of any Criminal Justice System. Rehabilitation, treatment, accountability, public safety and a belief in the potential of children are all undermined when we rely on prisons to care for our troubled young people.

Apart from being subjected to chaotic violence and the pain of being isolated from their families, confinement fails to make a positive difference in a child’s life. In fact, many youth come out hardened and more likely to re-offend than when they went in. This therefore increases the chances of them returning to prison.

Children’s lives are so disrupted by prison that they find if difficult, if not impossible, to get back on track once they return home. They have lost education opportunities, job opportunities and opportunities for exploration and experimentation that are a natural part of healthy adolescent development. Incarceration has robbed them of their teenage years, and these youth lose the chance for self-expression and self-growth. Delinquency and deviant behaviour become tools of expression for frustrated and suffering juveniles.

Many juveniles in the Criminal Justice System have had to cope with personal difficulties and limitations which include, but are not limited to, learning disabilities, dysfunctional family issues, abuse, neglect, peer pressure, substance abuse issues and having very few positive role models. Many juveniles leave prison or detention centres without receiving the necessary services such as counselling, educational and vocational skills training, which would support them and assist their reintegration into society.

Early intervention is a way of pointing juvenile offenders in the right direction. In providing targeted individualized services juveniles are able use direct specific programmes which will assist them with uncovering the basis of their troubles.

The Anguilla Probation Service, through programme initiatives geared towards the rehabilitation of the juvenile offender’s incidences of juvenile offending, hope to reduce truancy and anti-social behaviour for long and short term probationers. We hope to re-engage juveniles with education, employment and training. The programmes offered will provide juveniles with opportunities for personal development, self discipline, self respect and self confidence.

Miss Christine Brooks – Senior Probation Officer – Youth
Anguilla Probation Service
Herbert’s Commercial Centre
Suites 1-3
The Valley
Tel. # 476-7343

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