Plan to establish juvenile rehabilitation centre under way — government

AMMAN — The number of drug-related juvenile cases in Jordan has reached 35, including 26 possession and trafficking cases, and nine drug use cases, the Jordan News Agency, Petra reported.

Head of the Juvenile Department at the Social Development Ministry Mahmoud Harout announced that a plan to establish a rehabilitation centre in cooperation with the Ministry of Health is under way.

Juveniles need medical treatment before submitting to awareness programmes and detention, he said, in order to ensure that they will not return to a life of drugs. He also called for modifying legislation and laws pertaining to juvenile prosecution on drug-related charges, he said.

In the statement carried by Petra, Harout said juveniles are victims of drug dealers. Spokesperson for the Social Development Ministry Ashraf Khris said that the ministries of social development and awqaf are working together, along with the Public Security Department’s Anti-Narcotics Department, on awareness efforts.