Psychologist recommends halfway house for runaways

Chief Executive Officer of Supreme Counselling for Personal Development, Shawn Clarke has suggested that Government open a halfway house for young people who are charged for wandering but do not display signs of criminal behaviour.

Although declining to comment on the ongoing investigation into the state-run juvenile correctional facility, the Government Industrial School (GIS), Clarke said for many years he has been concerned that young people who had no criminal intentions were being sent to the same institutions as those who were involved in criminal activity.

He insisted that the system must separate juveniles who have the disposition to get involved in illegal acts from those who may have been charged for wandering – that is, running away from home.

“Some children wander away from home for varying reasons. Some wander to escape what is happening in the household, some seeking peace of mind, so not all young people who wander are doing it for negative reasons or negative intentions, and I always felt that there is need to be a separation,” the psychologist said.

“There needs to be some facility that can house these young people who are having issues at home.”

Clarke therefore suggested that consideration be given to opening a halfway house for juveniles who are trying to escape challenges in the home.

He recommended that the state take charge of setting up such a facility where counselling and other forms of intervention can be offered to residents.

“So they are taught life skills, homemaking skills, money management skills, and they are taught . . . to deal with the situation [at home].

“There are aspects where the family can come together weekly in counselling for family therapy on how they can co-exist together after the period that the young person would spend at the facility. Make sure that they are separate and distinct from the young people who may have criminal intent,” Clarke said.

While acknowledging that there are some young people who are bent on criminal behaviour, he insisted that “we cannot group our young people like that”.

“There needs to be some separation and to offer different levels interventions that are needed to save our young people,” Clarke said. (AH)