Homepage > Thai Youth Issues > Fears over rise in juvenile delinquency

Oct 25th, 2001 The Nation

A senior legal expert called on the government yesterday to review the juvenile-justice system, saying the current structure served only to push children further into a life of crime.

About 15 per cent of juveniles released from detention centres are later rearrested, said Thailand Criminal Law Institute executive director Wanchai Roujanavong at the seminar "Alternative Juvenile Justice: Innovative Approaches to Delinquent Corrections".

This is reflected in an increase in the number of guilty verdicts at juvenile courts, from 29,691 in 1998 to 32,333 in 1999, he added.

"We should look for an alternative approach to dealing with young offenders, rather than simply housing them at detention centres where many learn to committee more serious crimes," Wanchai said.

Many juvenile offenders find it difficult to return to society after their release because they faced discrimination and a subsequent loss of self-esteem, he said.

There has been an alarming increase in the number of juvenile offenders over the last six years.

The number of convicted 7-18 year olds had risen from 55,258 in 1995, to 56,997 in 1996, and 60,056 in 1997, Wanchai said.

The figure dropped slightly in 1998.

To reverse the trend, Attorney General Wichian Wiriyaprasit said young offenders should be kept away from the state corrections system as much as possible to avoid the danger of them developing into more serious criminals.

A team of juvenile-justice experts from New Zealand, who were also speaking at the seminar, said a rehabilitation process called family group conferencing - comprising mediated meetings between young offenders, family members, police representatives and victims - had worked well in their country.

Under this process, juvenile offenders are encouraged to accept punishment for their crimes by participating in community services, but are allowed to continue living with their families.

Subhatra Bhumiprabhas

THE NATION