The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution has  formed a Task Team on juvenile justice that will develop guidelines for prosecutors to improve the handling of children in the criminal justice system.

An Assessment Report launched last week by the Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection Simon Chelugui on the effectiveness of the rehabilitation programmes, services and practices in the statutory children’s institutions revealed that the country has inadequate rehabilitation programmes in remand homes.

Chelugui, who also launched a blueprint for rehabilitation and social reintegration programmes services and practices for children in conflict with the law, said the two documents have set out standards for treatment of the child offenders to ensure they are treated with dignity.

“The recommendations contained in the report will be useful in addressing the real deficiencies that exist and which do not respond to the needs of children who find themselves in conflict with the law and especially those committed to statutory institutions,” said Chelugui.

Justice system

In a speech read on his behalf by the Chief Administrative Secretary for Social Protection Patrick Ole Ntutu, the CS said the blueprint maps out key programmes that will be implemented in child offenders’ institutions and upon release of offenders from the institutions.

“The blueprint will also highlight the principles that should inform processes at each stage of the child justice system in line with the objective of rehabilitation and reintegration,” he added.

Chelugui said his ministry in collaboration with key stakeholders in the juvenile justice system will ensure that officers are trained on the standards of dealing with child offenders.

The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, of which Kenya is a signatory, recommends that the treatment of children in conflict with the law should  enable their reformation, reintegration into their family and social rehabilitation.

Chelugui recommended that partnerships between child justice institutions and communities be enhanced and urged all agencies in the child justice system to embrace rehabilitation and reintegration.  —KNA