Citizen security continues to be an important challenge in Honduras. Young people are particularly susceptible to being victims of crime or being recruited by gangs or criminal networks and getting involved in perpetrating crimes like robbery, extortion or others. Justice involved juveniles in confinement or serving alternative sentencing need support to rebuild their lives and become active members of society. To support these efforts, PADF worked with the Instituto Nacional para la Atención de Menores Infractores (INAMI) to develop an evidence based, integrated services approach to care services and case management focused on rehabilitation, social reintegration and the reduction of recidivism.
PADF was able to draw from regional experiences and provide tailored training and capacity building for INAMI which has the mandated care for justice involved juveniles. As a result of these efforts, staff interacting with youth have additional tools and methodologies to work both within the youth detention centers as well as monitor the progress of those serving alternative measures. More importantly, the young people are receiving more support so they can better reintegrate into their communities and be active agents of change.
PADF was able to draw from regional experiences and provide tailored training and capacity building for INAMI which has the mandated care for justice involved juveniles. As a result of these efforts, staff interacting with youth have additional tools and methodologies to work both within the youth detention centers as well as monitor the progress of those serving alternative measures. More importantly, the young people are receiving more support so they can better reintegrate into their communities and be active agents of change.
In 2018-2019 PADF implemented a USAID Tertiary Violence Prevention Project. PADF is confident that the capacity-building efforts with INAMI as evidenced by the certification of over 50 of their staff members, the production and dissemination of a training manual on integrated care-services for justice involved juveniles, the development of an implementation plan for the case-management system (SIGAH), recommendations on a draft juvenile justice policy, and the updating of the mapping of service providers coupled with PADF’s advocacy efforts which resulted in the incorporation of justice involved youth as a specific target group (with corresponding financing) within the new Inclusive Education Policy, will leave lasting results. Indeed, as mentioned by INAMI’s Director Felipe Morales, the training manual on integrated care services for justice involved youth continues to serve INAMI for the continuous training efforts as well as orientation for new staff.
