Endline Implementation Brief Guyana: Juvenile Justice Reform

The Act aimed to reform the country's juvenile justice system from a punitive model to a more rehabilitative approach. Key stakeholders have expressed a widespread consensus on the importance of juvenile justice reform and the need for a more restorative system. The Government of Guyana has made significant progress in creating a less punitive culture within the justice system and generating support for restorative practices. However, the implementation of these practices remains a work in progress. Interagency coordination has been mixed, with the Childcare and Protection Agency making considerable progress in standardizing procedures for handling juvenile cases. However, the police remain unfamiliar with protocols and procedures for handling juvenile cases, resulting in excessive delays in processing cases and prolonged pre-trial detention for many juveniles. Diversion and alternative sentencing programs have seen little progress, with plans developed in an ad-hoc manner by Magistrates and implemented by probation officers. The quality of probation supervision is strongly dependent on the officer assigned to the juvenile, and many juveniles miss out on the services they need to successfully reintegrate into law-abiding society. The Children's Court in Georgetown has become institutionalized, but its effectiveness is hampered by the lack of formal diversion and alternative sentencing programs. Detention facilities have made considerable progress in reducing the number of juveniles held in detention, with 40 percent fewer juveniles in detention in 2021 compared to 2019. However, those in detention continue to face a lack of access to high-quality education, counseling, and extracurricular activities. The COVID-19 pandemic has also hindered family ties and rehabilitation efforts for juveniles in detention. Reintegration efforts remain plagued by a lack of advanced planning prior to a juvenile's release from detention. Robust reintegration plans are not consistently developed, and juveniles often miss out on dedicated rehabilitation programs, job assistance, and halfway housing. Without these resources, patterns of recidivism among recently-released juveniles are likely to persist. Based on these findings, four key recommendations have been made to ensure adherence to appropriate procedures for juvenile cases, facilitate the accreditation of formal diversion and alternative sentencing programs, strengthen oversight of probation officers, and facilitate successful reentry and reintegration. These recommendations aim to address the challenges faced by the juvenile justice system in Guyana and promote a more rehabilitative approach.