Caring for juvenile delinquents

It surely was a violent protest but the target of the protesters' violence was none other but themselves. As many as 20 juvenile delinquents at the Tongi correction centre inflicted gashing wounds on their persons with sharp objects last Tuesday in utter frustration. Fortunately for everyone, the wounds were not fatal but the deep cuts and blood-letting from those of so many young boys set the panic button ringing. It surely was a horrific picture. The teenagers complain that they are maltreated at the centre and even they are forced to go hungry. With the High Court issuing a rule for probe into the alleged mismanagement of the correction centre, it can now be hoped that the nature of management of the centre will be known to all. However, the look of the building housing the centre and its surrounding are hardly inspiring. For such a correction centre to perform well, there is a need for enough fund, proper facilities and adequate expert and caring staff. One wonders if this and the other one situated in Jessore have all the requirements essential for the purpose.
At the time of the tragic incident, the correction centre even did not have a supervisor. An acting supervisor was in charge and he has been suspended after the incident. Whether the people running the centre are solely to blame or there is a systemic deficiency should be determined by the committee responsible for investigating into the incident. It is important to see what led to this particular incident but it is equally important to analyse the entire gamut of functioning of such a centre. Is enough fund made available to the centre or if done, is it properly used for the purpose? Facilities in terms of infrastructure, staff members such as psychologists should be reviewed in an effort to point out where things have gone amiss and how the lacking, if any, can be overcome. There is no point confining juvenile delinquents under harsh conditions in the name of a correction centre. The correction centre should be one in the true sense of the term.
In developed countries, jails or prisons have come a long way off in terms of treating prisoners. Sure enough, delinquents and first-time offenders have to be kept away from hardened criminals for reasons understandable. If offenders can walk into freedom as reformed people, the benefits are immeasurable for society and the state. Maintaining jails is a costly affair and therefore the current tendency is to get the best out of the offenders so that they can return to normal life after their period of confinement. This is particularly true for juvenile delinquents. That no child is born criminal is the motto today. So a lot depends on how society treats its young people. Juvenile delinquency is on the rise in Bangladesh society for a number of reasons. One surely is poverty and the other is lack of opportunities for family care and education. It is exactly at this point social role matters immensely so far as taking care of the young and unprotected is concerned.