- Project: Juvenile Justice System Analysis
- Assessing Sierra Leone’s juvenile justice system and identifying areas of legislation and practice to improve in accordance with international child rights standards.
- Funding Sources: The Diana Fund
In February 2000, following a sustained period of calm in the capital city, after the signing of the Lome Peace Accord (July 1999), the CLC started working in earnest on Sierra Leone. In July 2000, representatives of the CLC travelled to Sierra Leone to undertake an assessment visit of the juvenile justice system in Freetown, funded by the Diana Fund.
It was clear from our research, that the juvenile justice system was very limited and where it was in existence, it was not functioning well. The problems that existed did not seem to be being adequately addressed. Our visit sought to identify the main gaps that existed and the areas in which the Unit could contribute its technical expertise to address them.
The juvenile justice system as whole in Sierra Leone is in urgent need of attention. During our visit we identified a number of gaps that exist in the protection; for children caught up in the juvenile justice system. The police lack sufficient training in children’s rights - a concept they are not at all familiar with. This lack of knowledge impacts negatively on the welfare of both child victims and child offenders. Detention centres lack even the most basic facilities and there are not sufficient diversion schemes in place to ensure that the judges can avoid custodial sentences, unless absolutely necessary, and can place them in more beneficial programmes.
On arriving back from Sierra Leone a detailed report of the visit was prepared as well as a comprehensive analysis of the law and practice regarding juvenile justice.
Juvenile Justice System in Sierra Leone An Analysis of Legislation and Practice (Rachel Harvey, The Children and Armed Conflict Unit) (September 2000)
In 2001, the Director of the Children’s Legal Centre was invited, by UNICEF, to be the legal expert for the technical meeting on Children and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The meeting produced a report on how children could contribute and be heard by the Commission.
Further Information: Children and Armed Conflict; System Reform; Child Protection
Click here to visit the Children and Armed Conflict Unit's country profile of Sierra Leone.
