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formal justice system to extra-judicial programmes as a way of protecting the minors.
He was speaking at the launch of the Zimbabwe Pre-Trial Diversion programme for juvenile offenders.
Mr Tomana said in 2009, a presentation was made to Cabinet that the disposition of cases involving juveniles had been unnecessarily prosecuted and incarcerated.
“The target group of the programme is young persons under the age of 21 who have been arrested for offences not considered to be serious, and which would ordinarily attract a sentence of 12 months or less within the formal criminal justice system.
“Serious offenders would not be eligible. Depending on the nature of their previous convictions, offenders who re-offend could also benefit in some instances,” he said.
He said juveniles who would have committed non-serious crimes have ended up being exposed to the influence of hard core criminals.
To address this state of affairs, Cabinet considered the introduction of a pilot Pre-Trial Diversion Programme for young offenders in Harare, Bulawayo and Gweru, he said.
Mr Tomana said the primary aim was to make offenders responsible and accountable for their actions and provide an opportunity for reparation.
Identifying underlying problems and preventing offenders from receiving a criminal record and being labeled criminals were the basis of the programme.
Mr Tomana said the Pre-Trial Diversion could take place before an arrest, or could be initiated before a matter goes to court, or set down for trial.
“The intention is to find a non-court way of supporting a young person to take responsibility for their behaviour and promote more pro-social, socially acceptable forms of behaviour,” he said.
He said the programme aims at providing children with the opportunity to take responsibility for their anti-social behaviour while also addressing the other social, family and community factors that were contributing to their behaviour.
Mr Tomana said statistics showed that several juveniles who had committed non-serious crimes and meet all the criteria for the programme were now being diverted.
He said South Africa had started on the programme and was diverting both young and adult offenders who meet the criteria.
Mr Tomana said the programme was in no way intended to make offenders less accountable or responsible for their actions but to provide them with the opportunity to rethink their lives without getting a criminal record.
“It is also another way of avoiding the negative impact of a court appearance by using the diversionary technique.
“This allows for the diversion of juveniles away from the crime and criminal courts. This is a form of community participation in the control and treatment of deviant behaviour,” he said.
Police Senior Staff Officer Crime Assistant Commissioner Erasmus Makodza said the force was determined to mould the country’s youths into law abiding citizens who were dedicated to diligently serve the nation.
“Research has shown that adolescent is a turbulent stage of development where children start experimenting with many things and in the process some of them end up violating the laws of the country,” he said.
He said the diversion programme was one of the ways the Government had decided to undertake in order to assist young people who happen to violate the law early in life to avoid being repeat offenders.
Online Reporter