The Executive Director of Juvenile Reform Foundation (JRF)-Ghana, Geoffrey Chaucer Ofori, is advising families to desist from neglecting young offenders when they are released from correctional centres.
He observed that majority of parents are reluctant investing monies in the education and technical skills of these young offenders.
According to him, parents believe that there is the tendency for these released inmates to go back to robbery, killing, pick-pocketing and others, and would rather invest their monies in other ventures.
“Parents deem it too risky to invest their time and monies in these young offenders because they consider them a waste of time and resources, a situation which is worrying.” he complained.
He bemoaned the neglect by extended families in cases where the children lose their parents, adding that the families completely disassociate themselves from these young offenders who have been tagged “vagabonds, bad boys and rascals.”
The Executive Director of (JRF)-Ghana, pointed out that majority of the released inmates are tempted to hit the streets for survival after being rejected by their families who are supposed to show them love and affection.
“Acceptance by family members is the first step to successful reintegration for young offenders, but mostly when the parents of these young offenders are dead; the extended family members disassociate themselves from their development. Neglecting them will only heighten recidivism. The extended families should take up the responsibilities of young offenders who have lost their biological parents,” he entreated.
Touching on parenting, Mr. Chaucer Ofori observed that, majority of parents are fixated on their jobs and businesses and thus pay little attention to their children’s needs.
The (JRF)-Ghana Executive Director said majority of parents leave their children in the hands of people who know little about their children.
According to him, there is total neglect on the side of majority of parents, adding that children will not engage in social vices if parents spend time to train them.
He entreated parents to find time to take care of their children in order for them not to fall victim to the juvenile justice system.