KUALA LUMPUR, 5 Nov 2008: A total of 137 inmates in prisons in the country are below 18 years of age or juveniles, as of 2 Sept this year, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh told the Dewan Rakyat today.
He said based on statistics by the Prisons Department, 108 of them were in remand and the remaining 29 had been convicted.
“The juveniles comprise 122 men and 15 women who are detained or imprisoned for various offences under the Immigration Act, Dangerous Drugs Act, the
National Registration Regulations, the Penal Code and others,” he said when replying to a question by N Gobalakrishnan (Parti Keadilan Rakyat-Padang Serai).
Wan Ahmad Farid said the juveniles were placed separately from the adult inmates and that they were required to undergo a special rehabilitation programme.
He added that the rehabilitation of the juveniles gave emphasis to academic and vocational training, so that they will be able to fend for themselves after their release.
To a supplementary question by Razali Ibrahim (Barisan Nasional-Muar) on a proposal to introduce social service for juvenile convicts, Wan Ahmad Farid said the Prisons Department was studying the matter. — Bernama
