For Safe Juvenile Centres

Frequent violent activities in juvenile correction centres like confrontation of inmates with security personnel, inmates being found dead under suspicious circumstances and fleeing of inmates and arson have raised questions over their operational efficiency and management. These incidents indicate that something is seriously wrong inside these centres, and the concerned authorities should work to mitigate these unpleasant incidents and make them a correction centre in the true sense.

The recent incidents of violence, dispute and arson occurred in Jayandu Juvenile Correction Centre located in Dudhuwa Rural Municipality-6 of Banke district. A similar incident occurred on August 21, 2023, in Sanothimi of Bhaktapur in which, a total of 221 children fled the correction centre after they had a clash with security personnel after an inmate died under suspicious circumstances.  These incidents show that juvenile correction centres in Nepal have not been able to meet their standard and primary goal of rehabilitating young offenders, and living conditions in them are not up to the expected level. A study report made public by the Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC) in 2023 concluded that the incident that took place in Bhaktapur was due to negligence and indifference of the managers and operators of the centre.

The report has also suggested not to overcrowd the correction house with children beyond its capacity and not to house children above 18 years, among others. The primary purpose of a juvenile correction centre is to provide rehabilitation, education and support to minors (typically below 18 years of age) who have been involved in juvenile delinquencies. These correction centres are meant to help them reintegrate into society as law-abiding citizens once they come out of the reform centres. 

These centres aim to provide juvenile offenders with education, life skills, and therapy to make the inmates understand the underlying cause behind their actions and to ensure that they live productive lives after they are set free. The operators need to understand that handling these young people is sensitive and challenging. Expert counselling and engaging them in psychologically fit activities are very important. 

As per the news published in this daily, the violent clashes at Jayandu began on Friday night and continued until Saturday afternoon after a dispute over playing colours during the Holi festival escalated. The conflict lasted for approximately 15 hours, involving physical assaults, arson, vandalism and chaos. A team of 24 police officers was deployed to the centre under the command of an inspector on Sunday to investigate the incidents. The government should work on making the juvenile correction centres more child-friendly and oriented towards character building. To do so, proper infrastructure and expert involvement are crucial as the existing correction centres are overcrowded, taking a toll on the overall health and well-being of the inmates.

 Adequate nutrition, education, healthcare and recreational facilities are essential for the physical, mental and intellectual growth of the minors. They need proper guidance and mentoring. For this, staff and security personnel should be adequately trained, and mobilised to handle the typical challenges that frequently occur while managing these centres. It seems that the inmates lack enough space and self-help and a learning environment necessary to keep them disciplined and engaged. These issues need to be addressed without any delay.