NCJ Number
132093
Date Published
1990
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Several issues are raised in this discussion of Nigeria's juvenile justice system: the problem of defining juvenile delinquency, age of responsibility, juvenile rights to procedural safeguards, alternatives to institutionalization, and child abuse.
Abstract
According to Nigeria's Children and Young Persons Law of 1958, a child is a minor under 18 years of age. Delinquent children are those who have violated any law, are uncontrollable by parents, are habitually truant from school or home, or habitually injure or endanger the moral status and health of themselves and others. Nigerian law provides that no child under 8 years of age may be found guilty of an offense. A child of 8 years or more who has not attained the age of 14 is presumed to be incapable of committing a crime. Nigeria's juvenile justice system processes children and youth in a way that is sensitive to their special needs, circumstances, and problems. The country has three kinds of institutions for young persons in custody: remand homes, approved schools, and borstels. The remand home serves primarily as a place of detention for juveniles awaiting trial or as a shelter for juveniles in need of care and protection. The approved school is designed to give juveniles a sense of responsibility and introduce new interests and stability into their lives. Borstals house young adult offenders between 17 and 21 years of age and are intended to promote self-respect and self-confidence through manual labor, physical training, and education. The Nigerian government is considering alternatives to institutionalization and ways of minimizing and eventually eliminating child abuse. 6 notes