Accra, July 8, GNA - Personnel of the Ghana Police Service on Wednesday organised a day's workshop on the Juvenile Justice Act for students of Kpehi Catholic Junior High School in Accra. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Cephas Arthur said the Act was to guide children from engaging in criminal activities which would mar their future.

He said in addition, it protected the rights and privacy of children convicted under the law and urged institutions involved in handling cases involving juveniles to be concerned about the interest of children. Available statistics at the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) on juvenile offence within the period 2008 to 2009 indicates that 50 per cent of juveniles who had come into conflict with the law were as a result of money, food and serious crimes.

ASP Arthur explained that parents of an arrested juvenile would be informed and provided access to legal counsel and in a situation where no relatives could be traced the probation officer in the district would ensure a relative would be traced.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Bismark Agyapong, Clinical Psychologist at DOVVSU, said the difficult part in the life of juveniles was when they became confused in society and felt hopeless and helpless. He noted that when a child was labelled a criminal he or she was more likely to offend again. DSP Agyapong urged parents to seek early counselling when their children began to behave abnormally. 08 July 10