KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) says it is constrained in providing effective rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for juveniles due to a myriad of problems.

These include:

– The use of aged, dilapidated buildings that were not purpose-built.

– Lack of a structured education system to deliver the standard education programmes for the age cohort.

– Limited resource challenges faced by the department in obtaining HEART-Trust/NSTA certification for vocational/skills programmes.

– The absence of an established psycho-social unit or team to effectively address the growing need for psychological intervention among the diminishing but psychologically-scarred population of children.

– Difficulty reintegrating children into their homes/communities and into the public school system upon the expiration of orders. 

– The use of outdated and insufficient ICT devices and equipment and the general lack of network connectivity throughout the system.

– The volatile area in which the Metcalfe Street facility is located.

These shortcomings/problems were highlighted in the Juvenile Services Report from the DCS, which was recently tabled in the Parliament.

As it relates to the deteriorating physical infrastructure, the report noted that “The building stock of juvenile institutions is old, outdated and falling apart. None of the four centres was built for purpose”.

It cited that the Hill Top Juvenile Correctional Centre was a former Jamaica Defence Force campsite. The facility was recently closed and the male wards transferred to the Rio Cobre Juvenile Correctional Centre (RCJCC). The report said the Metcalfe Street Secure Juvenile Centre (MSSJC) was retrofitted from an existing building, while the South Camp Juvenile Correctional and Remand Centre for girls is a former adult correctional centre for males. According to the report, though built in the 1980s, the Rio Cobre facility was not designed to international standards.

“The electrical and plumbing networks are in disrepair due largely to the passage of time and to tampering, mostly by the boys. Additional dormitory spaces are required to effectively separate children, the younger from the older for protection from abuse, for disciplinary purposes, for health reasons and for holding/orientation of new admissions. The girls live in dorm-like settings but sleep in cells of two or four persons per cell,” the report outlined.

It said the boys often tamper with the roofs in bids to escape, resulting in recurring expenses to effect repairs.

“The entrance doors to all the dorms at RCJCC are in breach of the National Building Code. At MSSJC the dorms are windowless resulting in poor ventilation. The kitchen in each of the centres needs to be retrofitted to meet industrial standards. The poor state of the buildings makes it difficult to effectively deliver rehabilitation programmes,” the report added.

It said there needs to be an upgrade to the outdated equipment while introducing new technologies along with secure, stable internet connectivity within and between each centre to enhance security. It said this would also support the delivery of programmes that would facilitate interaction with family members.