JFJ wants Gov't to repair existing remand facilities

Monique Grange, Assistant News Editor
the Gleaner/Power 106 News Center

Lobby Group Jamaicans for Justice has taken issue with the government’s plans to construct remand centres for children found to be in conflict with the law.

Executive Director of JFJ Dr. Carolyn Gomes says that money would be better spent to repair correctional facilities and remand centres, which already exist to house wards of the state.

Dr. Gomes believes such a move would help to expedite the process of removing children from facilities which also houses adults.

She is again questioning why children who are deemed in need of care and protection are placed in facilities with criminals.

Dr. Gomes is again appealing to the government to deal with issues relating to the care and protection of children with greater urgency.

Yesterday, Youth Minister Lisa Hanna revealed that as at September 30, 2012 there were a total of 5,226 children in State Care.

She also noted that there are not enough correctional and remand facilities to properly accommodate the amount of children who are placed into state care.

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