LAC Director Clement Daniels said in Windhoek on Friday that the manual, Restorative Approach to Juvenile Justice in Namibia, focuses on restorative justice, which means offenders should take responsibility for the consequences of their actions.

"I would fail in my duty if I miss the opportunity to emphasise why children in conflict with the law should be treated different than adults," he said.

Daniels said children are vulnerable to influence because they are still immature.

He noted that a child is more vulnerable to the brutalisation that arises from contact with the criminal justice system including arrest, detention, formalised court procedures and imprisonment compared to an adult.

"Being an accused in criminal proceedings may result in a child being stigmatised for life, which in turn increases the propensity to re-offend and eventually become an adult criminal," he added.

Speaking at the same occasion, Special Advisor to the Minister of Justice, Tunguru Huaraka, emphasised that the concept of restorative juvenile justice system would require a massive orientation and training of the main role actors.

"Though the number of children who come into conflict with the law may be small, it is nevertheless important to save even one child from becoming a criminal law statistic and to turn that child into a good citizen of the country," he said.

Huaraka commended the LAC for its commitment to the development of the juvenile system in Namibia, noting that it was a priority area for the State.

The guide includes information on the restorative justice approach to juvenile justice in Namibia, international instruments, the arrest and awaiting trial phase, referral criteria and pre-trial diversion programmes. - Nampa

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