The First Youth Justice Pilot Project in China Successfully Diverts 451 Young Offenders

The First Youth Justice Pilot Project in China Successfully Diverts 451 Young Offenders

March 20, 2006

    BEIJING, March 20 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- On Mar. 19, a
special basketball team was set up in the Gymnastic Studio
of Panlong District.  The players gave it the name
"Sunshine Basketball Team."  These children are
young offenders diverted from Panlong Youth justice Pilot
project.  The team leader, Mr. Li, is a police officer from
Panlong Public Security Bureau.  He is also a staff of the
project office.  And the coach of the team, a national
level coach, is the head of Panlong Gymnastic Studio.  He
works with the children as a volunteer.

    The Youth Justice Pilot Project based in Panlong
District, Kunming City is a cooperative initiative between
the People's Government of Panlong District and Save the
Children.  The project promotes judicial diversion through
inter-departmental cooperation and the establishment of
community support system. According to the introduction by
Zhang Yue Ru, the director of the project office,
"judicial diversion" refers to the process
whereby, when a young offender is to be dealt with by
administrative or criminal penalties, alternatives to
custody with conditions will be granted wherever possible
to divert him or her from the criminal justice system, thus
to reduce the amount of young people detained in detention
centers and youth jails.  Young offenders then stay in
communities to receive help and support to reintegrate into
society.  Till now, 451 young offenders have been diverted
in Panlong district.

    With the joint efforts of both sides, the project set
up the first judicial Diversion Protocol in China, which
regulates the practices of the local Public Security
Bureau, Prosecutor's Office, the Court and the Judicial
Bureau. 

    In order to promote the practice of judicial diversion,
the first full-time "Appropriate Adults" team were
set up and the manual for this scheme was issued.  This
manual defines the working procedure of appropriate adults
by requesting them to present from the very first meeting
when young offenders enter the judicial process to protect
young offender's legal rights.

    At present, there are ten full-time appropriate adults.
 As soon as a child in conflict with the law appears in the
Public Security Bureau, the appropriate adults will be
called in promptly to present in the interview. Besides,
full-time appropriate adults work with part-time
volunteers; all of them play important roles in the
establishment of community support system.

    In order to carry out the community correction work
after diversion, a children's center was set up in Donghua
community.  It is a place for diverted children to receive
training and support, and to have fun.  Playing basketball
is one of the activities carried out through the center. 
In the launch of the Sunshine Basketball Team, most team
members said playing basketball greatly changed them.  They
made many friends and learned the importance of friendship,
respect and team spirit.  Now their greatest hope is to
play in a real basketball game.

    For more information, please contact:

     Zeng Ming
     Press/Information Officer
     Save The Children China Programme
     Tel:   [phone]/6441 x1616
     Fax:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

SOURCE  Save the Children