Written on 10 October 2023.
Juvenile Justice Services
The Juvenile Justice Service (the Service) is established under Section 7 of the Juvenile Justice Act 2014. The Service has a staff establishment of 51 staff and a total of 25 staff on strength. Juvenile Justice Service is represented in respective provincial centres by the Juvenile Justice Officers. In provinces where we do not have Juvenile Justice Officers, the Probation Officers who assumed the role of the Juvenile Justice Officer, represented both the Probation Services and Juvenile Justice Service.
The Director of Juvenile Justice Service appoints the Volunteer Juvenile Justice Officers as pursuant to Section 13 of the Juvenile Justice Act 2014. Based on their appointment, they may carry out all or any of the functions, duties or responsibilities of a Juvenile Justice Officer as determine by the Director.
The Service administers the implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act 2014 and the Juvenile Rehabilitation and Reintegration Policy 2021-2031. The National Juvenile Justice Plan 2018-2022 has set the pathway for the reforms in the administration of juvenile justice and one of which is the development of the Juvenile Rehabilitation and Reintegration Policy 2021-2031.
Our Vision
"Justice for Children for a Safe and Secured Society".
Our Mission
"To provide effective juvenile justice services by promoting justice for children through Family, Community and stakeholder Entrustment."
Juvenile Justice Act 2014
The Juvenile Justice Act 2014 (the Act) has repealed the Juvenile Courts Act 1991. Recent legislative reforms encapsulate the administrative functions of its mandated responsibilities in compliance with the PNG Constitution, Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), other international norms and standards, as well as the enabling Acts of Parliament.
The Juvenile Justice Act 2014 makes cross reference to the Lukautim Pikinini Act 2015 in ensuring that the rights of children in conflict with the law are protected throughout the criminal justice system and the juvenile justice system.
The Juvenile Justice Act 2014 establishes a comprehensive and separate juvenile justice system based on restorative justice, Melanesian tradition and contemporary juvenile justice practices. It emphasizes more on non-custodial sentencing then custodial sentencing giving prominence to rehabilitation processes of dealing with juvenile’s criminal behaviour rather than executing punitive approach. Moreso, it advocates more on police and court diversion of juveniles who commits minor offences. Diversion of juveniles helps addresses the issue of lengthy detention of juvenile remandees and provide parental support to assist their children.
Juvenile Justice National Plan 2018-2022
The National Juvenile Justice Committee has been given the mandate to develop plans, strategies and policies in accordance with Section 25 (c) of the Juvenile Justice Act 2014. It has developed the Juvenile Justice National Plan 2018-2022 (the Plan) that stipulates the role of agencies and stakeholders represented in the committee to advance the work of juvenile justice in the country. The Plan outlines the responsibilities of respective stakeholders in the law and justice and social sector in accordance with the respective key domain areas of the Plan on (1) service delivery, (2) capability building, (3) institutional strengthening, (4) governance, (5) law, policy and research, and (6) monitoring and evaluation.