[Gocamino] Juvenile Justice and the Camino

[Kathy Gower]

Looking forward to hearing the report...this is amazing to me...I hope they 
find peace and I hope the criminal justice system finds another way than to 
incarcerate all the time.

From: Blaroli at aol.com
To: GOCAMINO at oakapple.net, jdufour at versacom.ca
CC: saintjames at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Gocamino] Juvenile Justice and the Camino
Date: Sun, 21 Nov 2004 19:49:00 EST

Hello you all,
In what  appears to be an innovative change in the old practice,  six
juvenile delinquents serving time in several Galicia prisons have been 
granted"off
time" to make the pilgrimage from Melide to Santiago.
Further, a juvenile court judge will accompany them as well as some 
educators
and social therapists.
The youngsters, convicted of committing "crimes of violence" will have to
return to their prisons to complete their sentence (apparently there is no
indeterminate sentencing in Spain) ; the pilgrimage will afford them an 
opportunity
to spend some time in the open air, with the hope that it will also  further
their social rehabilitation.
This is somewhat different from the OIKNOTEN, juvenile offenders that 
Belgium
sends on the pilgrimage sometimes in lieu of jail time.  While some
first-time criminal offenders in Spain have also been given such option, 
they have been
convicted of nonviolent crimes, such as possession of drugs, etc.  the six
now on the Camino are the first ones to just be given "time off" to make the
pilgrimage. They are expected to reach Santiago on Friday.
Since I will be in San tiago then,  I'll make it a point to attend both
Pilgrim Masses and see whether the youngsters, or the juvenile court judge,
participate.
Warm regards!
Rosina
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