Beyond Troubled Childhood: Lived Experiences of Former Children in Conflict with the Law

Abstract

Crime does not discriminate, and criminals are not solely represented by a single set of characteristics. It is delicate while at the same time inevitably controversial to shed light on the circumstances of young people being entangled in the justice system for having committed an offense. It is the responsibility of the criminal justice system to safeguard their interests and encourage their reintegration into society. This study explored the lived experiences of Former Children in Conflict with the Law using transcendental phenomenology. The informants of this study were ten (10) Former CICL’s throughout the Province of Negros Occidental who were subjected to individual in-depth interview and focused group discussion. Four (4) emergent themes described the positive and negative experiences of the informants as CICLs during their rehabilitation. For the positive experiences, two (2) themes were developed, namely: The Prodigal Son is Home: Former CICLs’ Change of Heart and The Reformation of a Lost Soul: The Rehabilitation Programs in the Center. For the negative experiences, two (2) themes were formulated, namely: Disheartening Encounters with the Juvenile Justice and Welfare System in the Philippines and A Long Road Home: Challenges of the Former CICLs. As to the Coping of the Informants with the Challenges during Rehabilitation two (2) themes were created, namely: Entertainment, Companionship and Prayer, and Heaven Sent: The Kindness of a Rescuer. For the impact of the rehabilitation process, three (3) themes were formulated, to wit: Liberation: Reintegration to into the Community, Agent for Change to Fellow CICLs, and Padayon: Leaving Behind the Troubled with the Fruits of Transformation.