2025 Rights of Juveniles Detained at the MLC Still at Stake St Maarten —
Law Enforcement Council Inspection Report
Filed under: Juvenile Detention, Human Rights
PDF Report Summary
The Law Enforcement Council expresses deep concern about the current care
and treatment of juvenile males at the Miss Lalie Centre (MLC).
Because of recent changes and the current conditions at the facility,
rehabilitation no longer appears to be a central focus.
Although staff work hard, they operate in a largely unworkable environment.
Moreover, a persistent lack of financial, material,
and human resources creates serious bottlenecks in areas such as education,
daily programming, safety, and facility maintenance.
In addition, authorities now detain adult males at the MLC.
This decision directly disrupts juvenile education and scheduled activities.
Therefore, the Council concludes that the core mission of the MLC—youth rehabilitation—suffers as a result.
While staff continue to provide support where possible, the rights and social interests of juveniles remain at risk,
just as they were in 2020.
Implementation Review
In 2016,
the Council issued eight recommendations to the Minister of Justice. During a 2020 review,
the Council found that only one had been fully implemented.
Five received partial implementation, and two saw no action.
In 2024, the Council conducted a second review to assess progress.
As of this latest inspection,
none of the seven outstanding recommendations have been fully implemented.
For example, the MLC still lacks adequate resources, a structured personnel policy, a functional daily program,
and properly trained security personnel.
Additionally, it still operates without a full education program or an emergency response plan.
Thus, these issues remain unresolved.
Strategic Oversight
The Council identifies a significant failure of strategic direction by the Minister of Justice.
Because the Minister holds responsibility for implementation,
this lack of action raises concern. Furthermore, the Council sees little urgency in addressing the MLC’s deficiencies.
In its 2024 State of Law Enforcement report, the Council again highlighted juvenile justice
as a critical issue and now reiterates the need for immediate intervention.
Recommendation
Given the current state of the MLC, the Council calls on the Minister of Justice to act without delay.
Immediate measures must prioritize the rights of the child. Ultimately,
the Council emphasizes that youth rehabilitation should remain a core
component of Sint Maarten’s justice strategy.
The full report, along with related publications including the 2024 State of Law Enforcement,
is available on the Council’s official website.