Some 200 persons, between 14 and 21 years old, are currently serving sentences at the Juvenile Interrogation and Correction Facility in Kaunas. Youth crime is an increasing problem in Lithuania, and the correction facility is home to a large number of remit offenders.
The Kaunas facility is showing its age and the coming investments in the prison's infrastructure will raise the quality of life of the inmates. Roof leaks will be repaired, and new furniture will be provided to create a warmer and more homely atmosphere. In addition to new sports and household equipment, the prison's medical services will be upgraded and receive state of the art equipment to combat the spread of infectious diseases. "The medical services provided to the inmates will now be of the same standard as those enjoyed by the rest of society," says Nijole Globiene of the Juvenile Interrogation and Correction Facility.
Juvenile delinquents are a vulnerable and exposed social group, and providing them with a safe, healthy and stable learning and living environment is important to their successful re-socialisation and reintegration into society. Criminal behaviour is often acquired at an early age, and the absence of a tailored rehabilitation programme comes at a high cost to both society and the individual.
The average inmate in the Kaunas Juvenile Interrogation and Correction Facility serves a sentence of 18 months. Thanks to the support from the Norway Grants, the inmates are able to participate in work training programmes and learn crafts, thus strengthening their chances of becoming self-reliant and contributing meaningfully to society once released.
Photo credit: Kaunas Juvenile Interrogation and Correction Facility