Juvenile penitentiary opens special schools

JAKARTA (JP): The country's only juvenile penitentiary, in Tangerang, has started running special schools for its young prisoners, according to its warden.

Daniel Ginting told a group of visitors Tuesday that the schools, ranging from elementary to high schools, was also open to "older" prisoners, such as those in their 20s, from other jails.

However, Daniel who was quoted by Antara yesterday, didn't disclose when the new education programs had started.

The penitentiary is home to 108 children, including 20 repeat offenders who, while not necessarily serving current sentences, are kept behind bars due to their previous criminal records. All of them are between 10 and 18 years of age.

Aimed at giving the prisoners a basic education, the penitentiary's curriculum includes formal lessons and vocational courses in subjects such as carpentry and hairdressing, Daniel said.

Unlike ordinary schools, the penitentiary's schools are not strict about their students' age.

"For instance, we have a 12-year-old student in the first grade of our elementary school because he had never entered a classroom before being sent to this prison," Daniel said.

There are currently 15 teenage prisoners in the elementary school, 30 others, including two girls from the neighboring women's penitentiary, at the junior high school and 20, including 11 youths from a nearby prison, at the senior high school.

Daniel said classes started at 7:30 a.m., continued until 11:45 a.m. without a break and were followed by extra-curricular activities such as sport, scouts and crafts.

"We also give them religious teaching twice a week," he said. (bsr)