Rising Juvenile Cases in Juba
At Juba National Prison, rows of teenagers study behind high walls, a picture that troubles social workers who track juvenile detention across Central Equatoria. Advocates report that theft, street fights and parental disputes are the main reasons hundreds of minors end up incarcerated.
The Rule of Law Forum, a civil-society coalition, estimates that more than 1,000 juveniles are held nationwide, with Juba, Wau and Rumbek facilities routinely operating above capacity.
Root Causes: Drugs, Poverty, Peer Pressure
Gima Robert of the Road to Economic Development Organisation blames a toxic mix of cheap narcotics, peer influence and limited parental supervision. He notes that many teenagers arrested for pickpocketing or handbag snatching started by experimenting with cannabis sold in overcrowded Juba markets.
Advocate Viola Luka Akim argues the roots are economic. “When households cannot guarantee daily meals, children drift to the streets for survival,” she told our newsroom, stressing the need for social safety nets as much as stricter enforcement.
Advocates Call for Family Law Passage
Civil-society leaders insist that prevention starts at home. They are lobbying Parliament to accelerate the long-delayed Family Law Bill, which would harmonise guardianship rules, formalise child support obligations and expand mediation options before a judge can send a minor to prison.
“We already have strong child-rights clauses in the transitional constitution; implementation is the missing piece,” Akim said, expressing optimism that lawmakers will schedule a vote this session.
Balancing Protection and Punishment
The prison service says some minors are detained for their own safety after violent gang feuds made community reintegration risky. In such cases, guards partner with NGOs to offer literacy classes, carpentry workshops and weekly counselling aimed at shortening custody.
Yet space constraints hamper rehabilitation. Juba’s juvenile wing, built for 120, now hosts nearly double that figure, according to internal reports reviewed by Eye Radio. Officials are evaluating proposals for a dedicated correctional centre outside the capital.
A Regional Lens on Juvenile Justice
Across East and Central Africa, governments are rethinking juvenile justice. Congo-Brazzaville’s Child Protection Committees, praised by UNICEF, illustrate how community diversion can spare youngsters the trauma of adult prisons while reinforcing national stability.
South Sudanese advocates say similar structures, scaled to local realities, could ease pressure on Juba National Prison and align with the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.