By Dalya Dajani

AMMAN - The government on Tuesday took a new step towards improving the quality and efficiency of juvenile justice in the country.

Building on a major programme to reform the juvenile justice system, the ministries of justice and social development and the National Centre for Human Rights (NCHR) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) reinforcing interinstitutional coordination and communication to facilitate the flow and accuracy of information.

The MoU, signed by Minister of Social Development Hala Lattouf, Minister of Justice Ayman Odeh and NCHR Commissioner Shaher Bak, will also help formulate the required action and prevention policies on juvenile delinquency in Jordan.

The ministries of social development and justice, along with the Public Security Department, other institutions and NGOs, have been working closely under the Juvenile Justice Reform Programme, implemented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Funded by Switzerland and the Netherlands, the two-year programme launched in 2005 focuses on strengthening the legislative and institutional capacities of the Kingdom’s juvenile justice system as well as juvenile courts.

It includes improving legislation governing children in conflict with the law, upgrading rehabilitation facilities and services for young offenders, as well as training judges, prosecutors, lawyers, police officers and social workers who deal with juveniles.

The programme also tackles care and rehabilitation of juveniles in conflict with the law, delinquency prevention and recidivism, as well as improvement of detention conditions pending trial.

Odeh said various steps have been taken over the past few years to rectify weaknesses in the current Juvenile Justice Law, ensuring stricter adherence to international conventions the Kingdom is signatory to, and introducing new measures that address the welfare of both children and their families.

They include amendments to the 2002 Juvenile Act Law 52, stipulating alternatives such as engaging juveniles with lesser offences in community service rather than placing them in institutional care. Another addresses raising the current age of criminal responsibility from seven to 12 years and ensuring legal aid for juveniles.

The draft law is pending endorsement by Parliament.

Odeh noted that aside from legislation, children in conflict with the law or in need of protection require special programmes or procedures that allow them the best opportunities for rehabilitation or discipline.

He added that in order to safeguard the rights of this vulnerable segment, there is a need to deal with them using modern methods of rehabilitation to correct negative behaviour and ensure swift reintegration into society.

According to Justice Ministry figures, some 1,581 cases of children in conflict with the law were registered in 2006 and 2007.

The figures, based on data from 36 per cent of the Kingdom’s courts, showed that the majority were males aged between 15 and 18 from Amman. Around 1,259 cases were misdemeanours, 174 were felonies and 94 violations.

In many cases, juveniles face trial periods of 51 days and only 1 per cent have a lawyer. Child and human rights advocates have expressed concern about the long trial period, while the NCHR has also noted the lack of adequate social, educational and psychological support to youth offenders in past assessments of juvenile centres.

A 2003 UNICEF study noted that some 60 per cent of children in residential care were allowed to smoke and 20 per cent of the centres faced problems with glue sniffing as well as drug and alcohol use. Lying, stealing, aggression and rebelliousness were also commonplace while a psychological evaluation of institutionalised children revealed cases of depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.

An NCHR assessment visit to juvenile centres last year noted some of these challenges, including a lack of interest by families to visit their children.

In addition, a Justice Ministry study indicated that only 28 per cent of children in conflict with the law were accompanied by a parent during their court proceedings.

The NCHR commissioner said the MoU was an important step towards providing relevant authorities with the required information to address these issues.

Bak said the Kingdom shoulders a major responsibility towards children and juveniles, noting that detention or imprisonment was not a favourable solution. He told the meeting that more research should be carried out to understand the reasons behind delinquent behaviour and address the core issues.

Acknowledging the importance of addressing the needs of juveniles in a manner that safeguards their welfare and that of their families, Lattouf said partnerships between national institutions and community organisations were crucial to guide children in conflict with the law towards social norms that allow them to become productive members of society.

The minister noted that the ministry has various programmes addressing this segment and future plans will include capacity-building of care centre staff.