Wednesday, September 19, 2007 Oledan: Sidelined By Radzini Oledan Slice of life
INTERNATIONAL law is beginning to reject the unfettered discretion of authorities in the criminal justice approach to children in conflict with the law.
Children will never be reformed within a criminal justice framework. For child development experts, it is essential to involve children at the earliest of stages in their reintegration into society.
The recent local multi-sectoral consultation on the Juvenile Justice provided the opportunity for implementers to level off on their understanding of the law, and the approach for its implementation.
Negating a child in conflict with the law and condemning him as an offender within the criminal justice system is now increasingly adjudged to be an unviable solution to a child's nonconformist behavior.
When a minor is punished within a criminal justice framework, even just through stigmatization or labeling, extreme difficulty results in redeeming the child from the stigma and in weaning him away from the criminal justice system.
Still there are those who believe that the retributive approach is a panacea to every problem confronted by every child who manifests nonconformist behavioral patterns.
International Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency emphasizes that "youthful behavior or conduct that does not conform to overall social norms and values is often part of the maturation and growth process and tends to disappear spontaneously in most individuals with the transition to adulthood."
As most children move away towards adulthood, they are bound to commit mistakes, falter, and fail the expectations of adults.
Appropriate guidance and continuing dialogue, instead of punishment, would help children and youth.
Counseling services may also be necessary to strategize therapeutic programs to meet the child's needs.
Labeling a young person as 'deviant,' 'delinquent,' or 'pre-delinquent' often contributes to the development of a consistent pattern of undesirable behavior by young persons.
Stigmatizing or labeling a child is fraught with more serious repercussions or consequences, as a child so labeled will continue to engage in the undesirable behavior for which he has been called.
Creativity and innovation in the education of our children, more than negativism and intimidation can wean and stimulate the children away from negative environments and illicit recreation.
And as several sectors gather together, we ask, where are the children in the important policy discussion for them?
