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June 21, 2016  |  By Douglas Keillor In News

20 Hours

[:en]The teacher was preparing her lesson when we entered the empty classroom at 9:15 A.M. She had written a few math problems written on the chalkboard. We had brought a group of experts from the United States and we were on an official tour of the juvenile detention center in Chihuahua, Mexico. We started at the school building. One of the administrators explained that there are classes every day of the week, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Juvenile Detention Facility in Chihuahua State
Juvenile Detention Facility in Chihuahua State

 “How long are the classes?” we asked.

“Two hours each.”

“How many times per week does each juvenile attend class?”

The officials looked at each other, “Two times per week.” But, they quickly explained, the course was intended as a self-directed course that children could continue working on while in their cells. It seemed each time we dug deeper, the image they tried to present did not represent the reality for kids at the detention center.

After the official tour, we asked to speak with some of the detained children awaiting trial. The center has a mix of juveniles awaiting trial and those serving sentences post-trial, sometimes for 15 years for serious crimes. Three cells are dedicated to new arrivals. They may spend days, weeks or months in these cells before being transferred to the general population depending on space. The first boy I saw was a very tall 17 year old. We could barely hear him over the low echo of other conversations in other cells in the cement cell block. He mumbled, looked down, and often could not seem to not understand our questions.

Boy Behind BarsHis name was Jose Luis. He had been detained for two months and didn’t know when his trial would finally happen. I immediately thought back to the empty classroom and asked Jose Luis how many times per week he actually gets to go to school. “Once a week, for two hours” he replied. In fact, two hours per day he can play soccer, go to school or participate in one of the other activities. At meal times he eats in the cafeteria. The rest of the day he is in his cell. 20 hours per day. Every day. For two months – so far.

Research tells us that teenagers in solitary or near-solitary confinement like Jose Luis, for 20 hours per day, will suffer from depression, anxiety and psychosis. When we had visited the detention center doctor earlier in the day, he assured us that they have never had a case of attempted suicide or self-harm by a teen in detention while he has been there. But we could see cut marks on some of the boys’ arms, sure signs of self-harm.

I didn’t know Jose Luis before he was detained. His mother was not there to ask what he was like before. Maybe he was a brash, loud, outgoing teenager. Maybe he acted invincible. Maybe his eyes had a spark. We would never know because that was not the Jose Luis we met that day.

 [:]

Chihuahua Children In Prison juvenile justice mexico
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Guerrero

Después de años de lucha y problemas de inseguridad, decidimos en 2022 cerrar nuestro proyecto en Guerrero. Pudimos implementar nuestro instrumento de evaluación previa al juicio para garantizar que los jóvenes de bajo riesgo permanezcan en sus comunidades. Y brindamos apoyo a más de 220 jóvenes, como parte de nuestro proyecto de Movilizando Voluntarios.

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Chiapas

Por invitación del Poder Judicial del Estado de Chiapas, realizamos un estudio para evaluar la viabilidad de implementar nuestros proyectos en la región. En 2022, nuestro equipo presentó los resultados y recomendaciones. El gobierno estatal ahora está decidiendo cómo quieren colaborar con nosotros en el futuro.

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Guerrero

After years of struggle and security issues, we decided in 2022 to close our project in Guerrero. We were able to implement our pretrial screening instrument to ensure low-risk youth stay in their communities. And we provided support to over 220 youths, as part of our Mobilize and Empower project.

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Chiapas

In the state of Chiapas, at the invitation of the state judiciary, we conducted a study to assess the viability of implementing our projects. In 2022, our team presented the results and recommendations. The state government is now deciding how they want to collaborate with us in the future.

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CDMX

Vista como líder nacional en las prácticas del sistema de justicia, la Ciudad de México tiene más adolescentes en detención que cualquier otra jurisdicción. Sin embargo, también ha desarrollado una unidad de seguimiento en libertad con numerosas alianzas con organizaciones. Nuestros proyectos fortalecerán esta área crítica.

JJI está trabajando en la Ciudad de México desde dos vertientes. En Alternativas a la Detención con un monitoreo que comenzó en 2019, pero por causas sanitarias y la pandemia por COVID, se retomó dos años después con un equipo de especialistas el cual ya está preparándose para continuar la actividad. En Movilizando voluntarios, se continúa con los esfuerzos para reunir a más adolescentes con sus familias, gracias al apoyo: “Reunificación familiar”. Así como también se han realizado entrega de enseres en los 6 centros.

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Durango

A pesar de tener un número menor de adolescentes en el sistema de justicia, Durango es una jurisdicción que busca la mejora continua. Durango es el primer estado donde tanto el poder judicial como el ejecutivo han firmado convenios de colaboración para la implementación de nuestros proyectos de Alternativas a la Detención.

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Chihuahua

Chihuahua es nuestro sitio piloto y un estado considerado líder en la reforma penal en México. Nuestros proyectos comenzaron en el 2016. Desde entonces, los tiempos en detención preventiva han disminuido, los adolescentes son supervisados con mayor eficiencia en sus comunidades y se ha mejorado la calidad de vida de aquellos adolescentes que siguen privados de su libertad.

En Chihuahua trabajamos con varios proyectos, como son el monitoreo que se trabaja en conjunto con la autoridad, y con los adolescentes y sus familias trabajamos en talleres, mesas de trabajo, eventos lúdicos, acompañamiento post penal, reubicaciones y traslados de familiares para audiencias y visitas, así como donaciones de enseres, ropa y material deportivo.

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Chihuahua

A national leader in criminal procedural reforms, our pilot project in Chihuahua started in 2016. Since that time the rates and duration of pretrial detention have declined, youth are being successfully supervised in their communities and new programs in the detention center have improved daily life for those children still deprived of liberty.

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CDMX

Looked to as the national leader in youth justice practices, Mexico City has more youth in detention than any other jurisdiction but has also developed a robust probation office and numerous alliances with nonprofits. Our projects will further fortify this critical work.

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Durango

Despite being a smaller jurisdiction, Durango is constantly looking to improve. Durango is the first state where both the Executive Branch and Judicial Branch have signed Memorandum of Understanding to launch the Alternatives to Detention initiatives.

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