Conference to tackle juvenile justice

Some 200 parents, teachers, school counselors, law enforcement officers, and social workers will gather for the 2nd Annual Juvenile Justice Training Conference starting today.

Sponsored by the Juvenile Justice Task Force, the two-day conference will carry the theme “Making Connections for Our Youth.”

“Juvenile delinquency is a big problem in the CNMI. We are now seeing more and more crimes being committed by young people. The same kids are committing the same crimes. It’s a real concern,” said Patrick Diaz, a member of the task force and chair of the conference committee.

Diaz noted that over the past year, the task force has been conducting various activities to promote youth awareness on crime prevention and the criminal justice system. He said that judges have been visiting schools and talking to students to educate them on the consequences of committing a crime.

The task force is also drafting a comprehensive Juvenile Justice Act, some portions of which will be presented to legislators and policymakers during the conference at the Hyatt Regency Saipan.

The draft bill, he said, will address truancy, parental responsibility, and certification of juveniles who have committed serious violations.

Diaz said the task force aims to complete the draft before the end of the year.

Further, the task force has invited speakers from Alaska and Guam to discuss topics such as restorative and community justice, peer mediation, graduated sanctions, the workings of a juvenile drug court, and adolescent behavior.

Jackie Quitugua of the CNMI Public School System will present the results of the 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. There will also be workshops on grant writing, case management, and mobilizing the community, among other things.

Gov. Juan N. Babauta will provide brief remarks during the opening ceremony.

“In this conference, we aim to bring the participants together, and provide an opportunity for networking, collaboration, and sharing of ideas on how to address juvenile crime,” Diaz said.

The Juvenile Justice Task Force is chaired by presiding judge Robert C. Naraja of the CNMI Superior Court.

Agencies comprising the task force are the Superior Court, Attorney General’s Office, Community Guidance Center, Division of Youth Services, Criminal Justice Planning Agency, Public School System, Department of Public Safety, Public Defender’s Office, Youth Affairs Office, and Youth Alliance. A community member, Dr. Debra Cabrera, is also part of the group.

The DYS Juvenile Probation reported that it handled a total of 272 cases involving youth offenders in 2003—or a third less than the 478 cases posted in the previous year.

The agency attributed the decrease mainly to the abolition of DPS’ anti-theft task force.

DYS statistics showed that theft was among the offenses committed by most youths. Despite the suspension of the anti-theft program in fiscal year 2003, DYS documented 37 theft cases involving minors.

Other offenses committed by a great number of youths were curfew violation, with 46 cases; liquor consumption, 45 cases; disturbing the peace, 33 cases; assault and battery, and illegal possession of controlled substance, 24 cases each; and criminal mischief, 22 cases.

Youths involved in two or more cases numbered 55, DYS said.