By Paul Muhoho

The criminal justice system is jammed with less serious offences that contribute to unnecessary delay in prosecutions and congestion in detention
centres, a special audit reveals. The less serious offences exclude murder, violent robbery, manslaughter, sexual offences and economic crimes offences.

In an alarming disclosure, 452 children were illegally admitted in main-stream prisons with 348 others remanded in juvenile homes for petty offences between 2013 and 2014, according to the report, which recommends the establishment of an integrated data system for identification of minors.
Develop programmes Reports decries the increasing trend of adolescents engaging in consensual sexual activities which exposes them to the criminal justice system.

During the survey, 15 per cent of children were detained for defilement and attempted defilement cases.

National and County governments and faith-based organisations have been challenged to develop programmeson reproductive health education
in schools and promote good parenting schools. Report has recommended that law enforcement agencies  should be allowed to promote alternative dispute resolution mechanisms where warring parties can voluntarily settle criminal cases.

First Published by People’s Daily