BEING a student of the Department of Criminology at the University of Karachi, I recently had an opportunity to visit the Youthful Offenders Industrial School (YOIS) inside the Central Jail in Karachi. The visit to the juvenile prison etched a lasting impression on my heart and mind.

The scorching heat engulfing the barracks and training rooms painted a grim picture of unbearable conditions. The suffering of the young inmates was magnified manifold by suffocating humidity all around.

The structure and management of the juvenile prison were disheartening, but what truly shook me was the palpable despair in the children’s eyes. Putting myself in their shoes, I wondered if I would want visitors gazing at me with disdain, probing into my past missteps, and sitting in judgment without having any idea of the circumstances I had to face. Perhaps, instead of visitation, what these children truly need are extensive counselling sessions. The government must swiftly enact reforms to ensure a brighter future for these young souls and, consequently, for the nation as a whole.

However, what is needed even more urgently is an improvement in the prison’s infrastructure to alleviate the oppressive conditions that the children have to put up with. They surely need a compassionate intervention. Society must give them a glimmer of hope and a chance at redemption.

Hudesa Imam
Karachi

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2024