Youths overcrowd Freeport lock-up

The overpopulation of the juvenile cells at Montego Freeport Police Station in St. James has been blamed on parents who are reluctant to post bail for their children who are charged with criminal offences.

“A number of juveniles are on serious charges at the Freeport lock-up and I am not surprised that their cells being overcrowded, as about forty to fifty percent of the juveniles that have been remanded, are not released because sometimes parents do not want to take on that responsibility to bail them,” commented western regional director for the Child Development Agency (CDA), Sydney Grant.

Mr. Grant revealed that if no bail has been posted for the youngsters, then they are transferred to another remand centre until their matter is mentioned in court again.
More juveniles in western Jamaica are being incarcerated their age group range from 10-17 years of age in jail at the Freeport lock-up.

Gun-related offences and robberies are the most predominant charges against these juveniles, followed by petty theft and gang violence.

While CDA is responsible for the protection of children, Mr. Grant said that once a child is over 12 years old and has committed a criminal offence, the agency is not responsible to provide intervention, and that child would be referred to the Probationary Department of the Ministry of Justice.

“In the event that a child is under 12 and he or she has committed an offense, then the CDA would complete a social inquiry report; take the child to court; make recommendations and do continuous assessments,” he disclosed.