Giving child offenders in Sierra Leone another chance to realize their full potential

Bo, Sierra Leone – On a busy morning in the city of Bo, Sierra Leone’s second largest city, school pupils are already in school, ready to start their classes for the day. Sounds of children reciting the previous day’s lessons, are distinct even hundreds of yards from the school premises. One of the pupils taking part in the recitations is 11-year-old *Sento Dumbuya, who is lucky to be in school today and not at a children’s correctional and detention facility, thanks to the diversion programme run by the Justice Sector Coordination Office, the Judiciary, Defence for Children International and the Sierra Leone Police, with support from UNICEF.

My daughter would have been in a police cell today, if not for the intervention of Officer Ada,” says Sento’s mother Yeanoh. A few months ago, Sento was taken to the Bo police station on allegations of theft of Le 45,000 (about US$4.50), filed by their neighbour. After Sento was questioned by the officers on duty, the matter was transferred to the Family Support Unit (FSU) given the alleged offender was a minor. The police officers mediated between the complainant and Sento’s family and agreed on a refund of the missing money.

“I’m so grateful for their role in ensuring that the matter got settled out of court. I have paid half of the money and I am saving up to pay the rest,” as she recounts the moments endured trying to get her child out of police custody.

Police Constable, Ada Alpha, attached to the FSU at the Bo East Police Division, benefited from a training provided with support from UNICEF and provided the needed support to Sento in this matter.

“We were trained on alternative measures for dealing with children in conflict with the law, especially those who commit minor offences, other than taking them to court,” says Ada. “Thanks to this programme we have been able to support 10 children including Sento. Some of them are now in school and are trying to get an education and a better future.”

In past years, the police and juvenile courts made very little use of diversionary methods in dealing with children who come into conflict with the law. This resulted in children being incarcerated for minor offences that could have been settled outside of formal judicial proceedings.

Thus, to ensure access to child friendly justice services, UNICEF supported the Justice Sector Coordination Office to develop a framework on alternatives to detention and diversion of children in conflict with the law. A diversion policy was therefore developed and has been piloted in 10 police stations across the country, including in Bo district. In addition, UNICEF has supported the Legal Aid Board to provide services to 8,229 children across the country with either legal representation, legal advice and assistance or legal education.

Apart from helping to divert cases of child offenders from the formal justice system, police officers and social workers attached to the FSU engage the children and families with psychosocial support to facilitate a more supportive environment for the children and help prevent future incidents of coming into conflict with the law.

Thirteen-year-old *Saidu Conteh, another child offender, was brought to the police accused of stealing Le 165,000 (about US$15) from a petty trader. Officer Ada and her colleagues mediated between the family of the offender and the complainant and facilitated an out-of-court settlement. Saidu received counselling from Ada and is now pursuing his dream of becoming a mechanical engineer. “I now understand what bad actions would cost me, so I am trying hard to keep myself busy with my schoolwork, focus on getting educated and not do bad things,” shares the calm teenager.

Thanks to this support, less children are deprived of liberty as result of minor offences and are provided with different sanctions that are better suited for their age and needs. In this way the Sierra Leone justice system becomes more child friendly and detention is used just as a last resort for serious crimes as prescribed in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

*Names have been changed to protect the identities of the children.