Children and young persons are not only immature physically and mentally, but they can also hardly distinguish between right and wrong. Their idea of right and wrong depends on the nature and extent of the socialization process. The juvenile justice system is established to provide the opportunity for proper reformation and reintegration of incarcerated children & young persons into the society by making them part ways with crime. This is done through teaching them marketable vocational skills, moral education and providing an opportunity to receive formal education. Nigeria’s juvenile justice system is performing below expectations and has deviated from its established objectives. The remand home in Goron Dutse Local Government Area of Kano state is used as an example.

(1)  There is a workshop that is aimed at teaching a few crafts and skills but with no tools or material, and also no trainees, just an empty space.

(2)  There is a classroom where the kids are being taught the little, they can get but there are no books, and possibly no teachers as well. No notebooks, textbooks or writing materials.

(3)  The space used as a Kitchen is an unhygienic open space, with a pony wall(half-wall) and roof, the cement floor is also severely worn out.

(4)  There are 16x more males than females in the facility, which shows a clear gender bias in the choice of who to detain, and who not to.

(5)  The halls were the inmates stay are overcrowded.

(6)  Children who are involved in acts of youthful exuberance that could be flogged or punished in the community are brought to the facility, acts like: fighting, stealing detergents, trespassing etc.

(7)  Lastly, and most crucial, is the 70% inmates who are awaiting trial, with not set date, lawyers, or plans for any.

A well-structured program for the occupants of these remand homes will transform the individuals to better serve and be useful to their respective communities by helping them to overcome some social ills such as discrimination, deprivation, and gender inequality especially against girls. Keeping in mind the major objective of this facility, which is to rehabilitate young persons who may have lost their path, the problems identified must be tackled.

The Remand Home Project is a social impact project aimed at nurturing and equipping these children and young persons with hands-on skills, mentorship, and legal aid, building a pathway out of a potentially destructive life. The program will be physical and designed to be needs-focused, intensive, and engaging, so that beneficiaries are well equipped with necessary skills to enable them create income and deliver on market demands. The programme is centered towards three principles

Key Activities

(1)  Provision of relief items i.e. soaps, body cream, mattresses and clothing to the kids at the Remand Home

(2)  Equipping the Remand Home library and skills workshop.

(3)  Vocational and Soft Skills Training Session

(4)  Guidance and Counselling Sessions

(5)  Advocacy visit to the Ministry saddled with oversight of the Remand Home

(6)  Getting Pro bono lawyers to revisit cases of some of the inmates

(7)  Renovation of the male inmate hall and kitchen

Outputs

(1)  A better environment for the kids to thrive

(2)  An increased sense of self-worth and hope

(3)  A well-rounded knowledge on employability and earning skills

(4)  Resources to implement knowledge in real life setting.

Outcomes

(1)  Increased earning ability

(2)  Increased employability

(3)  Better Self reliance

Impacts

(1)  Decreased propensity to commit future crimes

(2)  Reducing income inequalities

https://globalshaperskano.org/project/remand-home-project/