The Ministry of Home Affairs is moving to overhaul how Guyana treats juvenile offenders, shifting the focus from punishment to rehabilitation, education, and reintegration.
Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond revealed in an exclusive interview with Ignite News that she has been tasked by President Dr. Irfaan Ali to design a comprehensive national rehabilitation programme aimed at keeping young offenders out of adult prisons and helping them rebuild their lives.
“I have been tasked by His Excellency to come up with a complete programme for the rehabilitation of our juvenile offenders,” Minister Walrond said, adding that “Too often, juveniles end up in the prison system with adults, which, as you can imagine, is not helpful for their development.”
The proposed programme will integrate psychological support, continued education, and vocational training to equip youths with life skills and employment opportunities. It will also establish specialised holding or processing centres where juveniles can be interviewed and assessed in a non-threatening environment — without uniformed police officers — to avoid criminalising or dehumanising them.
“We’ve already started discussions with psychologists and the Ministry of Human Services to determine what this programme should look like. The idea is to have a space where a child who’s made a mistake is treated as a child — not as a criminal,” she said
The initiative aligns with the Juvenile Justice Act of 2018, which introduced diversionary measures and alternatives to detention, including community service, mentorship, and counselling. Walrond said her ministry will work closely with the Ministries of Human Services, Education, and Culture, Youth and Sport to expand reintegration programmes using sports, creative arts, and mentorship to steer young people away from crime.
She added that these reforms form part of a broader justice reform agenda under the Ali administration — one that prioritises prevention, compassion, and second chances over punishment.
“The goal is to ensure that every young person who comes into contact with the law leaves the system stronger, more educated, and more capable of contributing positively to society,” she said.
Once implemented, the new framework is expected to significantly reduce youth recidivism and bring Guyana’s juvenile justice system closer in line with international standards that emphasise restorative rather than retributive justice.
