New Legislation to Strengthen Juvenile Justice

There will be new legislation that is expected to improve and strengthen the juvenile justice system. With the blessing of the Cabinet, the Ministry of Human Development, Families and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs will repeal the Certified Institutions Bill and amend the Juvenile Offenders Bill and the Families and Children Bill.  The changes are expected bring about greater compliance with the Convention of the Rights of the Child. The changes will, in effect, make our system one where the vulnerabilities of children who commit status and criminal offences are recognized, rather than criminalize children for status offences, which are noncriminal acts that are considered violations only because of a youth’s status as a minor.  We’ll hear more on these pieces of legislation from Minister of Human Development Families and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Dolores Balderamos-Garcia tomorrow.