House Finance Committee members have refused to approve the budget for a much-needed designated juvenile detention centre because of a reform behind it providing that this will be run privately.
The Ministry of Justice on Wednesday expressed disappointment that the budget recently approved by the Cabinet for suitable premises for young offenders to be sent there instead to the state-run Cyprus Prison was rejected.
The MPs basically did not consent to the approval of about €800,000 of funds so that procedures could move forward.
Juvenile delinquents in Cyprus are small in number but   justice reform – especially for minors – is desperately needed.
For a start, Cyprus happens to be the only EU member state with no juvenile detention facilities whatsoever. Nor are other methods of dealing with juvenile crime fully employed.
EU experts explain that to tackle juvenile delinquency effectively one must apply three important tools: correction, therapy and restriction.
