MORE than 160 children between the ages of 12 and 17 accused, implicated, or suspected of breaches of the law, avoided the formal justice system in the last fiscal year as they benefited from the child diversion programme.

“I am pleased to share that for the 2022/2023 financial year 161 children completed their diversion interventions and had their charges dismissed, where applicable,” Minister of Justice Delroy Chuck told the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Making his contribution to the 2023/24 Sectoral Debate, Chuck noted that the child diversion programme was operationalised in 2020 following the passage of the Child Diversion Act, 2018.

“To remind you, the child diversion programme aims to redirect children… from the criminal justice system. To achieve this, we implement measures for children who are alleged, accused of, or who are recognised as having infringed the penal law, without resorting to formal judicial proceedings,” said Chuck.

The child diversion programme is conducted through the justice centres which, according to Chuck, are operational in all 14 parishes.

The justice centres allow the public to access restorative justice, child diversion, and get referrals to victim services.

Chuck told the House that plans are under way to establish more justice centres and to upgrade the existing ones.

Under the child diversion programme, youngsters accused of crimes are referred to the system and a treatment plan designed specific to the offence committed by the child.

That treatment plan is then signed off on by officials of the parish child diversion committee and implemented.

It is usually comprised of mentorship, counselling, training, and sometimes sexual and reproductive health education.