KINGSTON, Jamaica — A shortage of trained mental health experts has been cited as one of the biggest challenges in the juvenile correctional system where young people between the ages of 12 and 18 are often beset with issues such as bipolar and sleep disorders.

According to the Juvenile Services Report from the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) which has been tabled in the Parliament, “the area of greatest need is in mental health”.

“Staffing is inadequate as there are only two full time psychologists, two engaged on sessional basis and two sessional psychiatrists scheduled to provide counselling to the population of between 190 and 200 children in the DCS,” the report highlighted.

It explained that “they [the psychologists] prepare reports for the children’s courts leaving little time to deal with the children while they are in custody”.

“The children present with different types and levels of mental illnesses including bipolar disorder, sleeping disorder, depression and suicide ideation. Some have attempted to harm themselves and others, most are subject to some form of sexual, physical or verbal abuse prior to admission,” the report noted.

It said the problem is compounded as many of the child perpetrators are themselves victims of crime at the same time and many would have experienced the loss of loved ones and have witnessed person(s) being killed.

“There is need for child and adolescence psychiatrists as well as additional psychologists dedicated to serving the children so that diagnosis can be made on a timely basis and treatment sustained. In other jurisdictions diagnostic test kits are used as standard practice in making assessments and designing treatment interventions. Kits are not used in the DCS due to budget limitations,” the report stated.

Meanwhile, the report outlined that reintegration is, and has been a huge challenge for the DCS.

It explained that there is no established pathway to return to the public school system for children under 18 years. It said a profile of the children admitted to the DCS in 2021 revealed that most were suspended or expelled from school or stopped attending classes.

Of the 75 children admitted, 53 were suspended or expelled.

“The schools which the children usually attend may refuse to readmit them due to the reasons that caused them to be absent from school. Placing the child outside of his or her immediate environment is not the best option as it has implications for transportation cost,” said the report.

It said that in some cases, the family is unwilling to receive the child in the household.

“Without family support and guidance, the child is left to survive independently, and, in that situation, there is a high probability that the child will reoffend,” it warned.

There are three juvenile correctional centres in Jamaica, serving children between the ages of 12 and 18 years who are on Correctional or Remand Order.

The centres are the Rio Cobre Juvenile Correctional Centre and Metcalfe Street Secure Juvenile Centre for boys and the South Camp Juvenile Correctional and Remand Centre for girls.

The offences for which the children receive orders vary and include assault occasioning bodily harm, murder, simple larceny and being uncontrollable.