‘Projected juvenile detention centre to receive minors involved in serious crimes’

AMMAN — A specialised juvenile centre that will cater to minors with serious crimes and extremist ideologies will open its doors in September next year, Minister of Social Development Reem Abu Hassan said Tuesday.

There are around 24 minors with serious violations such as murder, forced burglaries and terrorism-related cases, according to the minister.

“The government came to the conclusion that we need to have a special centre to be able to separate them from minors with lesser felonies,” Abu Hassan told The Jordan Times.

Since the end of 2014, she explained, the government has adopted several strategies to combat “terrorist and extremist thoughts upon directives by His Majesty King Abdullah”.

“Several ministries, including my ministry, have a major role in this strategy in addition to the police and other security agencies,” Abu Hassan said.

The minister added that part of the strategy is to focus on young people, “and this is one of the main reasons why this centre will be established”.

The Centre for Social Peace (CSP), affiliated to the Public Security Department, will have a role in the projected facility, Abu Hassan said.

“The CSP has dealt with cases of extremism at our correctional and rehabilitation centres and garnered experience to combat such ideologies. Surely, their knowledge will contribute to the [projected] centre’s role and objectives,” the minister explained.

The planned centre, which is currently under construction and will be located in one of the governorates, will open in September next year, Abu Hassan said.

“There are many developments in the region, including the increase in extremist ideologies, terrorism and the Syrian crisis. This requires that we adopt new measures to handle these developments in the best manner,” Abu Hassan stressed.