The Minister of Social Justice and Equity, Joachim Henry has emphasised the urgent need for a multi-faceted juvenile center to effectively rehabilitate troubled young people in the country.
Henry outlined plans for a comprehensive overhaul of the juvenile rehabilitation system, including the development of a detailed dossier to guide the functions of the facility in consultation with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the project’s primary financier.
The proposed relocation of the Boys Training Centre (BTC) to a new location at the former George Charles Secondary School in Cul de Sac, along with the incorporation of girls’ rehabilitation centers, represents a major step forward.
“So, we are looking at everything as it relates to the new Juvenile Centre, not just the building but who exactly would be working there,” Henry said.
The minister anticipates this dossier to be completed by June to July, so it can be presented to the CDB and cabinet “in terms of all the work that has been done …with design, structure and operations of a new Juvenile Center.”
This relocation will allow for a thorough review of the facility’s structure, employment arrangements, and programmes, with a focus on aligning vocational training with academic institutions.
Moreover, the minister emphasised the importance of differentiating between the accommodations for young males in need of care and protection and those requiring detention. He highlighted the need to establish clear guidelines regarding infractions and the nature of care provided to different groups of juveniles.
Henry also underscored the goal of integrating extracurricular activities, such as music and physical education into the juvenile rehabilitation experience. He stressed the importance of providing access to a diverse range of institutions, rather than attempting to create specialised areas within the facility.
On the wider extra curricula activities, Henry recalls this year’s recent jazz event put on by the BTC wards. “Music as an area of training has been an experience,” he said. “It has been at the Boys Training Centre for some time now, and there are persons who go there and expose them to music. So, music will be part of the experience in any juvenile centre …music and physical activities are important.”
Minister Henry emphasised the necessity of modernising the approach to caring for and rehabilitating young individuals, emphasising that the current system is outdated.
He said after more than 50 years, the nature of care and rehabilitation at juvenile centres has evolved.
“We cannot continue to manage our young children in the same manner that is 50 to 60 years old, in the current environment that we are in,” Henry said.