As the law now states, “under the 2004 Child Care and Protection Act, the court has the power to make a corrections order for a child who is deemed uncontrollable, but that order is given only with the consent of the parent”.

As such, a government team headed by Youth and Culture Minister Lisa Hanna promises to push for a change in the policy that gives the court this right to place the children in correctional facilities.

They proposed that instead of instutionalisation for children, therapeutic treatment institutions that offer psychological and psychiatric support would be a better address to the problem as these children are not there for any crimes thus they should not be as criminal, but as victims.

What do you think? Should children with uncontrollable behavioural problems be reprimanded or rehabilitated?

I think children should be rehabilitated. The underlying factors will not be change just because the child in question is reprimanded. This might be so in some cases as most people will think, but the broader picture is the long term effects it has on the child. That being said, I believe reprimanding the child cures the issue for now but only by rehabilitation and finding the correct course to move forward. In curbing the child’s behaviour, can we honestly say as parents, caregivers, guardians and citizens of Jamaica, have prepared the youth of the future?

— Chevane Cooke

Reprimanding them will simply to put them in an environment with hardened criminals, which may cause them to become like their room-mates. Since they are already “uncontrollable” imagine that sort of influence around them. The effect will be more positive from therapy as it has been proven to work time and time again hence that should always be first option.

— Asif Campbell

They should be rehabilitated because not all of them are bad children. If you send them to a place where other children are that have done crime they will adapt to it and might become even worse than they were before. I believe that a place should be there to address their behavioural condition.

— Michael Bryan

They should be rehabilitated so that they will become worthwhile citizens. Reprimanding them will prove to be counterproductive as they would continue being uncontrollable adults. Children become uncontrollable for various reasons; these include having uncontrollable parents, as the saying goes children live what they learn. Another reason is that the environment within which they live cause adverse behaviour. Therefore rehabilitating these children will no doubt lead to improved behaviour.

— Kadean Palmer

Children a very fragile and the same way they can be influenced to do bad things they can be rehabilitated to follow the good things. To put them in these correctional facilities would be too much for them.

— Kemar Leslie

They should be rehabilitated. If we don’t protect them, then who will? Many of them engage in these activities for reasons such as lack of guidance and love and rehabilitation provides a sense of hope for them. Some of them just need a little attention to become better individuals.

— Tishana Williams