Camino OIKOTEN

[Rosina Lila]

Hello you all,
For more than ten years Belgium has applied an "Oikoten" quasi-punitive
judicially approved, whereby young people, between the ages of sixteen and
twenty-five years of age,  who  have been convicted of fairly minor penal offenses,
may be sent to walk the Camino, under suitable supervision, in lieu of going to
prison.
The Belgian authorities report that about 60% of these "oikoten" are
reintroduced into society successfully, and that their recidivism is less than half
that of those who have been imprisoned.
A plan has been sent to the Spanish parliament to apply the same system to
young first-time offenders in Spain.  Reportedly, the Parliament has accepted
the plan for study and possible adoption.
I may add that here in New York we have a somewhat similar system.
Representing a young, first-time offender, convicted of a not terribly  serious
offense,  attorneys often request that the young person be given the option of
enlisting in a branch of the armed services in lieu of being sent to prison.  After
taking into consideration the totality of circumstances surrounding the
offense, and the character and history of the young person,  our judges often agree.

Warm regards,
Rosina
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