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April 14, 2020  |  By Marisol Marín In News

COVID-19 How to deal with a humanitarian crisis of children detained in Latin America?

WhatsApp Image 2020-04-09 at 12.22.17 PM

Adolescents do not perceive freedom in the same way that we do, which is why in the face of a pandemic like that of COVID-19, we have to see not what we think they need, but what they really see as essential, according to Margoth Montaño,Head of the Cenvicruz Legal Area (Program for adolescents with criminal responsibility of the Departmental Government of Santa Cruz), Bolivia.

This opinion was given during our third webinar entitled: “COVID-19: Humanitarian crisis of children detained in Latin America”, where we were able to hear different voices from experts who work with adolescents in conflict with the law from various parts of the continent. 

During this event, Sofia Cobo, Doctor of Law certified by the SEP-CONOCER Program in Competition Standard No. EC1106 called: “Promotion of the Principles and Rights of the Comprehensive Criminal Justice System for Adolescents,” said that in a public health emergency situation such as the one that is occurring worldwide, the main consequences in young people derived from the pandemic must be analyzed from the paradigm that it does not affect all people in the same way.

Said opinion was shared by Ignacio Mayoral, adjunct Professor of Criminal Law and Mediation at the International University of Valencia (VIU), who added that equal solutions for all do not work, which is why specific cases have to be addressed specifically, so that everyone can count with the essentials during an emergency situation such as that of the Coronavirus. 

Adrian Piejko, Master in Human Rights and Democracy, specializing in Groups in a Situation of Violation of rights, currently works as head of the Tutator Foundation for Bolivia. He explained for his part that beyond the pro-freedom principle, in most cases it is an excellent opportunity to pursue juvenile criminal justice goals based on reintegration and dialogue.

The event was moderated by the National Director of Projects of JJAI, Sarahi García, who closed the conversation with two fundamental ideas: justice does not mean internment and if supervision in freedom was strengthened, it would not be so difficult to imagine being able to decongest the system and that more adolescents would be able to be with their families during the pandemic. 

During the event, it was recalled that Juvenile Justice Advocates International (JJAI) recommends the following to system operators:

  • Suspend the imposition of precautionary measures involving deprivation of liberty;
  • Provide parole to or probation when applicable to:
    • Teens with a medical condition;
    • Pregnant adolescents;
    • Adolescents with measures of semi-internment or internment during free time and replace it with home internment;
    • Adolescents with less than 6 months of time left in their custodial sentence  
    • Postpone or change sanctioning measures of deprivation of liberty in adolescent cases with non-deprivation of liberty precautionary measures.

This activity is the third in a series that we will be carrying out with experts in the area. For more information you can follow us on our social networks, or write to us at info@jjadvocates.org.  

It is worth mentioning that the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has a publication entitled: “Principles and Good Practices on the Protection of Persons Deprived of Liberty in the Americas,” where it explains the general principles and those relating to conditions of deprivation. of freedom, which can be consulted here.

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Previous StoryCOVID-19: Responding to the pandemic from court and in detention centers
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Webinar on COVID-19, Humanitaria Crisis for Youth in Detention in Latin America – Spanish only:

https://youtu.be/3MOSFq_hE1M

March 26th Webinar on COVID-19 and Challenges to the Juvenile Justice System in Mexico – Spanish only:

https://youtu.be/52zianCu_3A

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How the U.S. exports failed policies:

  • International Funding

The U.S. funds more police, court, prosecutor and prison development projects around the world than any other funder.

  • Prison Accreditation.

With U.S. financial support, the American Correctional Association (ACA) has accredited prisons in Mexico, Columbia and the United Arab Emirates. Many of these facilities have documented histories of grave human rights abuses, systemic child abuse and cartel infiltration despite accreditation and re-accreditation by the ACA.

Senator Elizabeth Warren’s report on the failure of the ACA in the U.S. shows why the U.S. should not be funding the ACA overseas.

  • Police Training

U.S. police officers with documented histories of misconduct are hired by the U.S. State Department and sent to developing countries to train police units. 

  • Mass Incarceration and Plea Bargaining 

U.S.-backed plea-bargaining reforms have proliferated across the globe, endangering defendants’ rights to a trial and incentivizing excessive bail and pretrial detention.

  • Drug War Policies

Drug war policies have led to the dramatic growth of incarceration in Latin America, particularly of women. 

  • U.S Criminal Justice Sold as the “Gold Standard”

There is often an assumption that U.S. practices and policies represent a “higher standard,” are “more modern” and “more professional.” 

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  • Rejecting Key International Laws

The US is not a party to key human rights treaties governing criminal justice, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child  and the American Convention on Human Rights despite the fact that nearly every country where the U.S. promotes its practices are parties to these international instruments.

  • Prioritizing Security Interests over Human Rights

Security, not human rights or community safety, is the priority of the U.S. criminal justice’s foreign investments. This can undermine local reforms to limit police and prosecutor power or reduce incarceration.


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“Convention on the Rights of the Child”

“A Broken Prison and Detention Facility Accreditation System That Puts Profits Over People,” the Office of Senator Elizabeth Warren, December 2020. 

“How Washington Exports Failed Criminal Justice Policies,”  Douglas Keillor, The Crime Report, August 27, 2020.

“Prison: America’s Most Vile Export?” Baz Dreisinger, The Atlantic, September 30, 2015.

“Rights of persons deprived of liberty and privatization of the penitentiary system in Mexico,” Hearing before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, ACHR, April 7, 2016.

“Privatización del sistema penitenciario en México,” Documenta, et al, 2016. 

“Defund the Global Policeman”, Studart Schrader,  n+1 Magazine, Issue 38, Fall 2020, 

Schrader, Stuart (2019) Badges Without Borders: How Global Counterinsurgency Transformed American Policing, University of California Press.


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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