THE $189 million Juvenile Justice Processing Centre is expected to open its doors in December, providing a dedicated facility for young people in conflict with the law and placing greater emphasis on rehabilitation, counselling and second chances.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, made the announcement following a recent visit to the facility, which is currently under construction.
Persaud said the Centre will provide a safer and more supportive environment where young people can receive guidance, counselling and mentorship aimed at addressing behavioural challenges and helping them return to a positive path.
“Young people will come through this facility, they will have counsellors, they will have a buffering system where we will have mentors, religious leaders or persons in their community who can stand in as simple guarantors for them,” the Minister said.
She said the approach is intended to help young people change their behaviour and reduce the likelihood of them reoffending.
The Minister pointed to the Juvenile Justice Act 2018, which provides the legislative framework for dealing with children and young people who come into conflict with the law. The legislation provides for diversion measures, specialised judicial infrastructure, and provisions relating to the detention, custody and rehabilitation of juveniles involved in criminal activity.
Persaud described the new Centre as a comprehensive rehabilitation facility specifically targeting young people in Guyana.
She said its completion and opening will give practical effect to the rehabilitation-focused provisions of the juvenile justice framework and provide young people with opportunities to learn, grow and make better choices.
The Centre is expected to become an important component of Guyana’s juvenile justice system, with rehabilitation and community support placed at the centre of efforts to prevent young people from returning to criminal activity.