For the successful completion of the training “Advancing in Juvenile Justice: Professionalization Course for Detention Center Operators” for staff of the General Directorate of Social Reintegration for Adolescents (DGRSA), the State Secretariat of Public Security presented the awards.
The ceremony was held at the headquarters of the State C5i System and was presided over by the State Secretary of Public Security, Alvar Cabeza de Vaca Appendini. It should be noted that this course is part of the Bicentennial Understanding Program between Mexico and the United States of America.
Therefore, the training course was funded by the United States Embassy in Mexico, through the International Bureau of Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), with the support of instructors from the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF).
The training was delivered virtually and in person over two weeks during the month of September of this year, training 30 people assigned to the General Directorate of Social Reintegration for Adolescents.
The topics covered included: the International Legal Framework and Principles of the Comprehensive Criminal Justice System for Adolescents; Skills for Working with Adolescents and Families; Designing Strategies to Reduce Violence and Recidivism among Adolescents in Detention; among others.
In his message, the State Secretary of Public Security, Alvar Cabeza de Vaca Apendinni, thanked INL and the Pan American Development Foundation for the course and the knowledge provided, while emphasizing that the presentation of these awards is a consistent and ongoing step forward.
He recalled that many years ago, the Tutelary Institute for Minors, now the Specialized Detention Center for Adolescents in Conflict with Criminal Law, was in precarious conditions in an unsuitable building in the city of Guanajuato. Currently, the Center occupies a modern, functional building, adequate for providing comprehensive treatment to adolescents under legal detention measures.
He affirmed that this Center is currently the best in Mexico and also a model for other institutions in Latin America, with a virtually zero recidivism rate. It currently treats 37 young people who receive comprehensive treatment, with highly trained staff certified to the highest quality standards by the American Correctional Association (ACA). Its staff of technical guides or custodians is the highest paid in the country. On behalf of the Pan American Development Foundation, Flor Castillo Román, Project Director in charge of the training process, expressed her appreciation for the work of the DGRSA staff, noting that when designing the course together with the U.S. Embassy, the objective was to make knowledge of juvenile justice useful.
Meanwhile, José María Vega, Deputy Director of the Security and Law Enforcement Section (INL) of the U.S. Embassy, expressed his gratitude for the invitation to the ceremony, while highlighting the importance of the course because it is essential for those who operate Reintegration Centers for youth in conflict with the law.
He added that through the course, staff have been provided with the fundamental tools, in compliance with international standards and best practices, to improve the management of the Youth Reintegration Center.
Finally, the Director General of Social Reintegration for Adolescents, Luis Felipe Razo Ángeles, also thanked the State Public Security Secretariat for its full support, as well as the INL Agency and the Pan American Development Foundation for the course.