DILI, 19 january 2024 (TATOLI) – The Ministry of Justice will collaborate with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to establish Timor-Leste’s Juvenile Detention Centre.
The Minister of Justice, Amândio de Sá Benevides, said that the Juvenile Detention Centre will accommodate juveniles to undergo community-based rehabilitative programs before being released directly back into the community.
He said the juveniles who commit serious crimes and pose a greater threat to society and themselves are needed to stay in a supervised juvenile detention center.
If a juvenile is sent by the courts to a juvenile detention center, there are two types of facilities: secure detention and secure confinement.
“We are going to build a Juvenile Detention Centre to ensure the detention and confinement of young people who commit crimes,” said Minister Benevides.
He stressed that the Juvenile Detention Centre will be built in a suitable location to be equipped with facilities designed to educate juveniles who have already committed crimes, in order to prevent them from involving in crimes in the future.
“We have discussed the design of the Juvenile Detention Centre with JICA. The construction project of the center will be financed by the Ministry of Justice,” added Minister Benevides.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
