Children who commit ‘big people crime’ can sometimes be tried in adult court – Children’s Advocate
Children’s Advocate Diahann Gordon-Harrison is warning that children (persons under 18) can face procedures in court which are usually reserved for adults, depending on the circumstances.
“We have a very specific regime in Jamaica that allows the Children’s Court to have jurisdiction in matters where children are in conflict with the law,” she explained while speaking Monday on RJR’s Beyond the Headlines.
But she also clarified that the Criminal Justice Administration Act also recognizes that “sometimes, especially when there is the concept of Joint Enterprise or Common Design, whereby the child is in concert with others or acting along with other persons in what is considered a ‘big people crime’ such as murder… that child now becomes eligible to be tried along with adults in a traditional court, which is not necessarily a Children’s Court.”
The issue is not new, but it recently arose following the arrest of dancehall artiste Mavado’s sixteen-year-old son.
The teenager has been charged with murder and other offences.
Questions have surfaced about whether he should be tried as an adult.
Big man crime deserves big man time. Yup!
At 16 I think he should be tried in a juvenile court. But I guess it the law . And all now him fada no land yet?
He shot someone, chopped off this head, then set him on fire. Nuff hardened criminal nuh kill so brutal. He should 100% be tried as an adult.
Is this confirmed that the victim head was chopped off? This is the first time I have heard of the person head being completely severed.
Because his co-accuse is an adult and both of them were charged jointly he would have to be tried as an adult. If he was charged alone or charged with another child they would be tried as children.
If him did wah stay a juvenile him shouldn’t kill
:thanks2
Mavado yuh know waaah gwan.. him nuh reach uppa station yet? Shudda a mek prep fi go college him seh badness.. mi dus waah know a wah kina ties him have wid di law…
Well him think he’s grown so give him the full length of the law.
This was not self defence, no pity here. Movado a move suspicious, why hasn’t he returned to the island to attend to this issue? There’s more to this story and this 16 year old will crack under pressure.
Cause he bad and bougée and scared that he will be charged
Mavado at the end of the day has contractural obligations . He can’t break those things lest he suffers MAJOR legal issues as well. I’m sure he still has a handle on things …just from a distance ….for now . If anything, his son would need his emotional support that comes from SEEING him…but him gwan big anyway so him need tough it out til him can SEE ddy .
Jamaica is across the street from Florida 😀 Mavado is just a MAJOR coward because his freedom is on the line. it’s really a catch22 because he needs to continue making $ for lawyer fees but doing so delays the court process and “justice” for his innocent son 😀