Justice for Youth in Detention

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Justice for Youth in Detention

November 2, 2022

To address violence in any society, we must first change how we view our neighbors. Sasquia Antúnez Pineda knows this well. Sasquia’s heart is permanently divided in two—one half in Honduras where she spent the first 22 years of her life, and the other in Canada where she lives with her husband and daughters. Recently Sasquia and ASJ’s paths crossed on a topic of mutual passion—justice for Honduras’ children. In this reflection, Sasquia shares about her work with ASJ and her belief that we all should care about the restoration of juvenile offenders.

~ A reflection from Sasquia Antúnez Pineda

I emigrated to Canada just after finishing college in Honduras. I was excited for opportunities to study, experience a new culture, and perfect my English. I became a high school teacher and married a wonderful man, with whom I have two beautiful daughters. My life in Canada is full of love and great people. Living here has taught me so much about myself and the world.

But, living far from my country has been hard. Honduras is a beautiful place and despite its many problems, life somehow seems lighter there. Hondurans tend to face hardship in two ways—by putting our trust in God no matter how hard things get, and by finding humor in every situation. I miss it every day.

Recently, my concern over increasing youth violence in Honduras led me to pursue my master’s degree with a focus on churches and governments' responses to youth violence. I knew it was important to ground my thesis in people's experiences, so I was thrilled when ASJ welcomed me to do my research with them as they worked to understand how the Honduran government can better care for juvenile offenders.

I spent 10 months partnering with Diana Medina from ASJ. Diana is as passionate about youth justice as I am, so we made a good team.

I was thrilled when ASJ welcomed me to do my research with them as they worked to understand how the Honduran government can better care for juvenile offenders.

Together we analyzed the challenges in the way the Honduran government treats youth offenders in detention centers, and searched for better youth rehabilitation models that could be adapted to the Honduran context.

In my conversations with staff and kids at the detention centers, I was struck by how much hardship these young people had experienced—poverty, substance abuse, gangs, trauma, limited access to school. They were often betrayed by the adults and systems around them, and violence seemed like a reasonable response. I also saw that despite their difficult lives, many still had dreams and did not want their current situation to define their future.

Detention centers are not ideal for youth—too often they become schools for violence and separate children from their families and the positive links in their communities. Community-based rehabilitation is a good idea but hard to do well because it is so hard for kids to escape from the groups in their communities that pull them into violence.

The truth is there are no easy answers to youth rehabilitation. But, I believe research into this issue needs to start by listening to the voices of the young people affected, trying to understand the context they come from, and learning what motivates them to work for a better future.

My hope is that my research can bring a little light where mostly darkness has been found. One thing I heard from detention center staff is that they want churches to get more involved in helping troubled youth. But, fear of engaging with juvenile offenders has been a huge obstacle.

I hope that the testimonies I've gathered can show church leaders, government, and international funding agencies that these young people can suggest solutions for their own lives and that we should listen to their voices. I plan to present my research findings to government and international funding agencies in Honduras that are working in the area of children's protection and hope to publish in a Canadian academic journal.

I know that what God wants for these children is the same thing he wants for my children and your children—the chance to be loved, feel safe, learn, and one day have a vocation. God wants these children restored to community.

My time with ASJ in Honduras has made clear my call to speak up about restorative justice for youth. We can’t ignore this issue because it is difficult. God’s call to do justice for the most vulnerable includes these young people whose lives have been shaped by injustice. We need to put aside distrust and learn to build bridges with these young people so that they in turn learn to trust us.

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