NewsWhore
08-21-2009, 02:40 PM
Whether or not to harden the penalties against minors involved in crime is being debated nationwide.
The Police has said that minors are involved in six of every 10 crimes in Santiago. The National Drug Control Department office in Santiago says that in April alone, 27 minors were arrested for drug trafficking. Santiago police says they frequently arrest minors ages 15-17 for stealing a handbang, cell phone or jewelry, and there have been cases of armed assault. In those cases, the minor is usually accompanied by an adult.
One known gang in Santiago, Los Meneitos is made up of children 9 to 17 years, that are required to leave the gang once they reach 18 years.
Minors, or those under 18 years, can be penalized with a 5-year maximum jail term, and thus are increasingly being involved in crime.
The state prosecutor for children, Miguelina Rodriguez confirmed minors are increasingly being used as mules for drug trafficking. Nevertheless, she says that the participation in youth gangs have been reduced with recent efforts.
The National Council of Business has proposed that the Minors Code and the Penal Code lower the age for penalizing youths. Lisandro Macarulla, as reported in El Caribe, says that not only is there the need to modify the codes, but also for the state to concentrate its security forces and energies on the causes that lead to crime.
Ramon Emilio Nunez, director of the national school of prosecutors, does not feel the matter will be improved byhardening penalties against minors.
UNICEF issued a statement opposing reforming the minors' code, Law 136-03 on grounds that by passing responsibility unto the minors the problem of crime is not resolved.
Commissioner for the Reform and Modernization of Justice, Lino Vasquez Samuel said that what should be done is to increase the penalties on adults that involve minors in crime.
The president of the National Council of Drugs, Mabel Feliz proposes that instead of increasing penalties for minors, more responsibility and fines be levied on the parents fornot fulfilling their roles.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#9)
The Police has said that minors are involved in six of every 10 crimes in Santiago. The National Drug Control Department office in Santiago says that in April alone, 27 minors were arrested for drug trafficking. Santiago police says they frequently arrest minors ages 15-17 for stealing a handbang, cell phone or jewelry, and there have been cases of armed assault. In those cases, the minor is usually accompanied by an adult.
One known gang in Santiago, Los Meneitos is made up of children 9 to 17 years, that are required to leave the gang once they reach 18 years.
Minors, or those under 18 years, can be penalized with a 5-year maximum jail term, and thus are increasingly being involved in crime.
The state prosecutor for children, Miguelina Rodriguez confirmed minors are increasingly being used as mules for drug trafficking. Nevertheless, she says that the participation in youth gangs have been reduced with recent efforts.
The National Council of Business has proposed that the Minors Code and the Penal Code lower the age for penalizing youths. Lisandro Macarulla, as reported in El Caribe, says that not only is there the need to modify the codes, but also for the state to concentrate its security forces and energies on the causes that lead to crime.
Ramon Emilio Nunez, director of the national school of prosecutors, does not feel the matter will be improved byhardening penalties against minors.
UNICEF issued a statement opposing reforming the minors' code, Law 136-03 on grounds that by passing responsibility unto the minors the problem of crime is not resolved.
Commissioner for the Reform and Modernization of Justice, Lino Vasquez Samuel said that what should be done is to increase the penalties on adults that involve minors in crime.
The president of the National Council of Drugs, Mabel Feliz proposes that instead of increasing penalties for minors, more responsibility and fines be levied on the parents fornot fulfilling their roles.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#9)