 Preventing juvenile crimeThere is no question that preventing crime is preferable to punishing it. Never is that more true than in the case of juvenile delinquency, so often a cry for help from a troubled youngster.The UN Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency, known
as the 'Riyadh Guidelines', recognize the importance of preventing young
people from being stigmatized by the justice system. The Guidelines call
for the development of measures that “avoid criminalizing and penalizing
a child for behaviour that does not cause serious damage to the development
of the child or harm to others.” This statement sends a profound message:
Preventing juvenile delinquency or crime is not just a matter of protecting
society—its aim is to help children overcome their misdeeds and fulfil
their potential. It is also less costly and more efficient for society
to prevent young people from starting on criminal careers than to pay for
the outcome of criminal behaviour.
Many programmes have been established to help young people. In the Canadian province of Ontario, a Reasoning and Rehabilitation Project run by probation officers helps juveniles to modify impulsive behaviour and learn alternative responses to interpersonal problems. Recidivism has fallen dramatically among the participants. In the Netherlands, Project HALT requires vandals to personally compensate their victims but in such a way that avoids stigmatizing them with the label of 'criminal'. In Morocco, children's clubs in four cities offer recreational and cultural activities for urban children aged 7 to 12. The clubs also offer moral support and guidance to help young people remain in school. The Philippines has a programme, begun in 1986, that focuses on substance abuse, sexual exploitation and children in conflict with the law. Active in 32 cities, it includes a range of activities to support street children and prevent juvenile delinquency. Belgium, Israel and the Netherlands all have a Children's Rights Shop where young people can find help for problems relating to the law and their rights. Young people who commit offences should bear the responsibility for their actions—but they must be held accountable in a manner appropriate to their level of maturity. Treating the few serious offenders fairly but firmly will take the heat off the many who are unfairly labelled as delinquents or worse. Those who are found guilty need help to reintegrate into society, to develop opportunities leading to a meaningful life. They also need the best professional help that society can provide. The countries with the best juvenile justice records are those that keep contact between youth and the police, courts and jails to a minimum. Many countries have far to go. For example, England sometimes incarcerates its young offenders for indeterminate periods. The Russian Federation has no juvenile courts, judges, prosecutors or lawyers. In Yemen, the law allows for the arbitrary detention of children. Societies may differ as to how they interpret fundamental human values, but in all societies the expectation of responsible behaviour increases as a child grows. We cannot legitimately expect a seasoned, mature understanding of the subtleties of right and wrong from adolescents, especially those who have suffered from abuse or neglect. Article 39 of the Convention specifically calls for countries to take measures to promote the recovery and social reintegration of such child victims. We are dealing with human beings who are still developing. Our goal must be to help mend what has gone wrong and prepare them for later success—not simply to punish them. |
