Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Incarcerated Youth: Karachi’s Youth Offenders Industrial School Case Study

• In Event: Poster Session 2

Abstract

This research addressed the issue of juvenile rehabilitation and social reintegration of young incarcerated individuals in Pakistan. It discussed how selected young detainees serving their sentences at Karachi’s Youth Offenders Industrial School (YOIS) experienced their predicament and perceived their preparedness for release, considering the support provided through the school’s facilities and services. Understanding the rehabilitation process of young incarcerated boys was crucial to improving the effectiveness of correctional services and ensuring lower recidivism rates. This project examined the rehabilitation programs and services offered at YOIS, in conjunction with those provided by local NGOs.

Emphasis was placed on how these services equipped young boys (aged 16–18) to move away from a life of crime and make better life decisions once released. Drawing on primary research findings and a thorough literature review, this research explored how the justice system in Sindh, particularly Karachi, tackled juvenile rehabilitation. It also examined the role of family, peer groups, and socio-economic class in the social reintegration of these individuals, notably in ensuring a safety net for them. Finally, issues of accountability within the law enforcement, judicial, and correctional systems, the need for post-release services, and linkages between social services targeting these youth were explored.

Author

• Anusha Somani, University of Chicago