Incarceration of Children in Conflict with the Law in the Philippines: The Blurred Lines

Incarceration of Children in Conflict with the Law in the Philippines: The Blurred Lines

A figure dashed through a busy road. Children selling water, cigarettes, and trinkets roamed the road filled with vehicles of all sizes are all at a stand-still while waiting for the light to turn green. The heavy traffic was expected, but what came next was a surprise. A car door was opened inconspicuously. After a few minutes, the figure emerged from the side of the car and cast furtive glances before sprinting to the nearest alley, while dodging oncoming passers-by. Other figures emerged, and together with the first figure, they walked further into the alley and surveyed their catch. It turns out that not only one vehicle had some of its contents disappear. The drivers were about to find out that they were missing a bundle of scrap metals, a bag of vegetables, and a couple of other items from their vehicles. On the contrary, the figures, who were a group of boys clad in soiled clothes, would find themselves having the money to buy their first meal after going days without a meal. That is, if they do not get caught then sent to prison. Until then, the cycle will start again; but it would not be long before similar reports of such incidents reach the police.

Fifty percent (50%) of the responders on Debate.org (n.d.) voted that juvenile delinquents should not be tried in court as adults, while the other half of the responders voted otherwise. Meaning, the 50% wanted juvenile delinquents to get the same degree of sentence for their crime as that of an adult, instead of receiving a less severe punishment. A poll from Inquirer.net (2012) also reported that 98.17% of the 7,762 responders voted that children above 15 years, but below 18 years of ...

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...nity-based programs. [Republic Act no. 9344] Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006. Retrieved January 23, 2014. Retrieved March 20, 2014, from http://www.gov.ph/2006/04/28/republic-act-no-9344/

Sicault, G. (Ed.). (1963). The needs of children: A survey of the needs of children in the developing countries. New York: United Nations Children’s Fund by the Press of Glencoe.

Siegel, L. J. & Senna, J. J. (1988). Juvenile delinquency: Theory, practice & law (4th ed.). (pp. 100, 103) St. Paul: West Publishing Company.

Steinberg, L. (2012). Seeing juvenile’s maturity, and immaturity. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/06/05/when-to-punish-a-young-offender-and-when-to-rehabilitate/sentences-should-acknowledge-juveniles-maturity-and-immaturity

The Code of Commission. (1954). Code of crimes. Manila: Manila Bureau of Printing.