Juvenile penitentiary opens special schools

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)