Juvenile Justice solutions explored in Costa Rica
There are daily reports of young men and women finding themselves on the wrong side of the law. And while a community frustrated with the crime situation might be tempted to pack these youths up and send them on a one-way trip to Hattieville, human rights advocates are campaigning for a different approach. It’s called Juvenile Justice…and this week a select group of Belizeans, who work with youths, are attending a conference in Costa Rica to talk about the initiative. According to UNICEF Project Officer, Mar Correa, the delegates will adapt regional projects to the local scene until they find something that works.
Mar Correa, UNICEF Project Officer
“They went to see some experiences that are going on in Costa Rica related to juvenile justice, and to meet people that are already working in quite progressing ideas, for instance the ILAN, which is the Latin American Institute for the Prevention of Crime of the United Nations.”
Patrick Jones
“Why is the United Nations finding it important to have Belize have a look at a program like that in the region?”
Mar Correa
“Because UNICEF, in its aim to support capacity building in Belize, has planned to do some study cases through some other countries, where some experiences, which will be developing in the areas that UNICEF is working… interested in, and we think that could contribute to make Belize improve their work.”
Patrick Jones
“Now when these people get back from Costa Rica, what is UNICEF hoping they will do?”
Mar Correa
“First of all, we’re hoping to have a report, which tells of the advancement, or they have seen the experiences that they have identified as easy or possible to implement in Belize. And the next step would be to start implementing it.”
During their one-week working visit to Costa Rica, the officials will look at a number of initiatives. These include youth facilities for children and adolescents deprived of their liberty, community-based justice programmes, and alternative dispute resolution concepts. The delegation includes C.E.O. in the Ministry of Home Affairs Alan Usher, Director of the Family Court Margaret Nicholas, Director of Community Rehabilitation, Fermin Olivera, Prison C.E.O., Marlon Skeen, and UNICEF Programme Officer, Roy Bowen.
