Almost 40% of the children at the Juvenile Centre have ended up in Corrections Service facilities

Almost 40% of the juveniles who were in the Juvenile Rehabilitation and Development Centre between 1998 to 2012 have re-offended and eventually ended up in Fiji Corrections Service facilities.

Centre’s Senior Welfare Officer Alfreda Vakarewakobau says there have also been cases where juveniles have re-offended and are sent back to the Juvenile Centre after completing their rehabilitation period.

She adds 790 juveniles have been admitted to the centre from 2012 to the first half of this year and majority of these cases relate to rape and sexual assault.

108 juveniles have been admitted this year alone.

She says in majority of these cases, it is the negligence of parents and guardians that lead to children not being in the right state of mind.

Vakarewakobau adds they are providing necessary counseling and therapy to the juveniles in a bid to grant them a better future before its too late.