The Juvenile Justice Department of the Ministry of Public Security in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Community, Family, and Youth Resilience (CYFR) programme, has just completed the training of 35 civil society core groups, non-governmental organisations and government departments, in Juvenile Justice Diversion and Alternative Sentencing (JJDAST).
According to a Ministry of Public Security (MoPS) release, the objective of training was to build the capacity of participants to better implement diversion and alternative sentencing programmes. It was held on November 14 and 15 and conducted by Criminologist and Certified Criminal Justice Specialist, Dr Dianne Williams.
Key components of the training focussed on policies and procedures related to diversion and alternative sentencing, the roles and functions of organisations providing diversion and alternative sentencing support, the organisational framework and related practical guidelines, and protocols and processes for the implementation of approved diversion programmes.
This training is a major step in building a support cohort among civil society groups in all administrative regions of Guyana, to enable the provision of suitable diversion programmes to a child who comes into contact or conflict with the law. The Juvenile Justice Department through the Director, is mandated under section 9 of the Juvenile Justice Act to develop and maintain suitable diversion programmes and to recognise as suitable, diversion programmes offered by Govern-ment Departments, Non-Governmental Organizations, Civil Society Groups and the Juvenile Justice Committee, the release added.
The Civil Society Groups participating in the training were: Rights of the Child Commission, Sophia Community Deve-lopment Association, Social Life Issues Guidance & Counselling Service, Young Pioneers, District Grand Lodge of Guyana, Family Awareness Conscious-ness Togetherness, Real Talk, reMan Guyana, Amerindian Peoples’ Associa-tion, Ministry of Education, Merundoi, Youth Challenge Guyana, Linden Care Foundation, Guyana Responsible Parent-hood Association (GRPA), Volunteer Youth Corps, National Coordinating Coalition Inc, Central Islamic Organization of Guyana (CIOG), Practical Christian Ministries, Hope Foundation, Hope for All, Child Link, Monique’s Caring Hands, Protect Your Peace, Board of Industrial Training (BIT), Specialists Sustained Youth Development and Research (SSYDR), Interweave Solutions Guyana, The Rainbow Foundation, National Parks Commission, Guyana Trans United, For the Children’s Sake Foundation, Guyana Community of Persons Living with and Affected by HIV, Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), Rainbow House, Mystique Dance & Empowerment Group, United Bricklayers, and United Bridge Builders.
