My Experience in the Juvenile court Saturday, July 14, 2007
Hey viewers !! Khishal here from tms sec ! My trip to the juvenile court was very enriching and I felt that it was an eye opener for all of the ten lucky ones who got this chance ! It was my first time actually going to any kind of court before to view the proceedings. The juvenile court is nothing like what one would expect to be like the high courts that we see on television . What makes the juvenile court so SPECIAL ??? Haha..Well , let me tell you. The juvenile court aims to rehabilitate and help out the juveniles so that they do not commit any more crimes and not to give them severe sentences like the High court . The juvenile court facilitates positive transformation of individuals and help families and individuals manage their emotions and resolve conflicts before, during and after the court process.
When the court was in session , the ten of us saw many cases on juvenile delinquency , but someone had made a really big impact on me in that court that I would never forgot . That was Magistrate Wong . I remember the whole process of how the juveniles were charged in the court , they will be escorted into the court room from the waiting room by a policemen and then their parents will be enter the court . Magistrate Wong will then start the trial . Magistrate Wong was very fierce and strict with the juveniles. she questioned the juveniles on their crimes in a very harsh and hostile tone which sent chill down my spines . It was like how a police officer would interrogate a criminal.. or maybe worse. Magistrate Wong warned these juveniles how serious their offences were again and again and told them the consequences.I was feeling very nervous at first when i heard that we were going to meet Magistrate Wong after the hearing for a QnA session ! I had a feeling that she display the same tone & hostility with us as she did with the juveniles but she turned out to be so friendly and open ! haha. I guess that the whole point of it was so that these juveniles do not repeat their mistakes again and not to commit such crimes at such a young age so that they do not become a menace and a threat to the society.
After the meeting with magistrate wong , I realised that the most common juvenile cases had got to do with smoking, vandalism, theft, carnal connection and rioting . The most common one and post popular offence was smoking . I think that smoking was the most popular offence because the juveniles are charged with only a sum of $30 for the first three times if they are caught by any official such as the police or their schools teachers , ONLY IF THEY ARE CAUGHT , or else these smokers get away Scott free. The fine of $30 will not have much of an effect on the juvenile too , as its their parents who are forking out the money from their pockets to pay the fine , NOT THEM , they don't see it as a big deal !! Only on the 4th occasion , if the juvenile is caught , he/ her will be charged in caught . I personally feel that the fine should be raised and the juveniles should be charged be charged on the 2nd occasion itself.
I also learned that there are many different factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency, like family influence , peer influence and the news and media. I feel that the influencing factors play a very important part . . For example , if a juvenile hangs out with a group of people who define delinquent behaviour as acceptable , the juveniles will be influenced by these group of 'FRIENDS" AND he/she will start engaging in this sort of activity too. From the court hearing , I could make out that many of the juveniles crimes were due to bad influence from their peers & family influence . Parents of the juveniles were either too busy working , did not bother about their child or had poor parenting skills and that was how their child got astray and started committing these crimes. Magistrate Wong had even made the order to send some of these parents for counselling to help them manage their child .
These are different types of rehabilitation the juvenile court can give to the juvenile :
home probation : juvenile spends most of his time at home supervised by his /her parents and a probation officer. There is a curfew too. ( For juveniles who's parents are able to control them-BPC)
Home & probation order : The probation order is an order that requires the offender to be under the supervision of a probation officer or a volunteer probation officer for a period between 6 months to 3 years. The juvenile will get to go home at certain times.
Court appointed home : juvenile stays at the court appointed home . for ex : Muhammadiyah
welfare home and parents are able to visit him/ her . ( juvenile may even go to school , depending on the behaviour)
Boys home / girls home : The offender may be detained in a place of detention for a period of up to 2 years - minimum where he will face strict discipline and rules to follow.
( YOUTH PRISON )
It was very amazing too see the statistics too , nearly 1000 juveniles are charged every year by the court . i realised that 5 minutes of enjoyment Just 5 minutes of "fun", could land you up in the juvenile court and you will be tainted as a juvenile for the rest of you life , regretting what you did in that moment of folly.
THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU ACT , DON'T DO ANYTHING FOOLISH !
+Khishal
