Solving crime and saving our minors

Nov 25, 2015 Editorial

Many have written previously about the upsurge of violent crime, especially murders and armed robberies in the country. It appears that boys in their late teens and just out of the teenage years are the most consistent perpetrators.
In response to these violent trends there has been a great deal of rhetoric about being tougher on crime, an assertion that has not worked. Therefore, it is time for the Minister of Public Security to develop a smarter approach to solve crime and violence in order to save the minors who are in crisis.
Changes must be made to the country’s penal institution on Camp Street so as to reduce the rates of recidivism. Perhaps the Ministry of Public Security should develop new programmes that would prepare inmates in general, and minors in particular, for a stable and prosperous future outside prison.
Such programmes should include tutelage of prisoners on entrepreneurial skills, so that they would have a legal way of sustaining themselves in society. Also, inmates should be given psycho-social help to deal with anger and any emotional or mental health issues to assist them to acquire the requisite skills that are necessary to deal with antisocial practices.
Many young people have committed violent crimes and have appeared before the courts quite a few times, but should they be incarcerated without being given any help? It is without a doubt that a prison term for a young person reinforces the notion of criminality as the only choice and hardens the mindset of impressionable and misguided youths.
It is not the way to get the young criminal to reconsider their criminal ways and resultantly be wiser; schools are the answer. Resources must be given to schools, because they are better organized to monitor and change the behaviour of these young people and make society safe.
Also, Guyana needs an aggressive community-based juvenile justice programme, specifically to address the risk factors associated with the offending behaviour of minors.
It will require psychological interventions and assessment, casework management and extensive networking with community-based services to link juvenile offenders to the support services that would help them stay out of trouble and comply with their legal orders.
The government must reform the justice system, but as only one part of the greater reformation needed in society. Part of the reforming process is about making smart and tough decisions about the direction and the future of youths in society.
It is very difficult for Judges not to administer the law against the young, but they ought to be mindful to balance the need to administer the law by recognizing that the aim is to reform minors and keep them as far away as possible from the hardcore criminals in prison.
Perhaps now is the time to consider lighter penalties for young people, such as shorter prison terms and longer probationary periods. This would be a worthwhile first step towards changing the behaviour of minors.
Expunging their criminal record as a minor should be the second step. It would prevent many of the nation’s young people from living with a criminal record for something that many have attributed to the exuberance and experimentation that accompany their young age.
Most minors cannot afford proper legal representation to militate against their enduring unduly long sentences and being branded for life, especially if in fact they are innocent. Like with so much else in life, money is an important part of the justice system. Those who can afford to pay for the best legal representation get it; those who cannot afford to foot the bill will not be legally represented. This is the reason why so many minors are in prison.
There is enough evidence to suggest that an imbalance is at work— putting our young in crisis in Guyana.

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