Incarcerating young kids might not be the solution to the increasing problem in the Maldives
On one side of the debate, people state that regardless of their age, kids should also face the consequences of their actions, while on the other hands, people argue that putting kids in juvenile prison would only expose them to worse behavior leading to decreased chances of understanding right from wrong and adapting better mannerisms in life.
There is no doubt that crime rates in the Maldives have been on the rise. Despite being a small island nation where communities are closely-knit, incidents of crime, ranging from petty theft to gang violence, are increasing. These crimes occur in various settings, including homes, schools, and even mosques.
A concerning trend is the involvement of younger individuals in criminal activities. Over time, the repeated occurrences also suggests that children, who are easily influenced, are being drawn into gangs, contributing to a rise in youth crime. Over the years, little effective action has been taken to address this issue, leading to a noticeable decrease in the age of those committing crimes.
Recent increases in severe bullying, harassment, and gang violence among younger individuals have heightened concerns about managing this growing problem. The challenge now lies in implementing effective strategies to curb youth involvement in crime and ensuring safer communities in the Maldives. Most recently, there was a discussion in the Maldives regarding reducing the criminal offense age in the Maldives, following a bullying case which went viral across media platforms. As the children who were partaking in the bullying were just young kids, one of the biggest question was on how such cases are to be managed?
It has become clear that little effort is put in getting justice, especially when it comes to such cases involving minors. When all is said and done, everyone raises their voice for a few days and moves on, leaving the victim in such cases being forced to move on from the situation. Additionally, the perpetuators tend to getaway with little to no consequences as well, as the school system often depends on the families to take-on the role of the punisher when it comes to such cases.
This led to many calling for a lower age of criminal responsibility in the Maldives, which led to the debate on whether or not this would be a perfect solution to the increasing problem. On one side of the debate, people state that regardless of their age, kids should also face the consequences of their actions, while on the other hands, people argue that putting kids in juvenile prison would only expose them to worse behavior leading to decreased chances of understanding right from wrong and adapting better mannerisms in life.
The Prosecutor General of the Maldives Hussain Shameem shared his take on this issue in his latest blog-post titled "Juvenile offenders - The solution is not lowering the age, changing environment". In his post, Shameem noted that there are about 200 children living in criminal environments and that over 70 percent of the currently incarcerated population is imprisoned for drug-related crimes. With such a high population of kids being incarcerated in the Maldives, it becomes clear that incarceration might not be the solution to the increasing problem.
Although it seems to be the easier route to take, as the number of young offenders continue to increase, it has become clear that there needs to be a bigger conversation around why these numbers continue to increase and more positive methods that can be used to lead the Maldivian youth to make better choices. In his blog post, Shameem makes his stance clear on the fact that lowering the criminal offense age in the Maldives is not the solution to the problem, as this action has only led to the crime rates possibly worsening in the Maldives.
Doing what needs to be done to prevent diseases is what makes a hospital, a hospital. But data clearly shows more diseases are acquired from there.
The Prosecutor General of the Maldives Hussain Shameem
He also continues on to say that there are ways in which reform can be brought about without bringing changes to the law in order to see positive changes in the Maldives and its youth.
This is not a small task. Just as we need patience to raise our children, we need patience to correct them. We don't let our children go when they do things that don't agree with us. Would you not work with those kids patiently and persistently to guide them to the right path? These are also kids just like thatIf these efforts bring back even one child and their family to us, then it would be worth it. I believe the investments made to change the environment of a child is far less expensive than putting them in jail.
The Prosecutor General of the Maldives Hussain Shameem
