Juvenile crime in Bahrain has decreased dramatically over the past four years, according to a top legal official.

The number of new cases was just one or two a month last year, down from six to eight a day in 2011, revealed Juvenile Prosecution head and Advocate General Shaikha Noura bint Abdulla Al Khalifa, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

She said the development of a "complete" juvenile justice system had led to a massive reduction in the crime rate among children.

"Those days (in 2011) it was heartbreaking to enter the office and see six to eight children, aged between nine and 14 years, waiting at the prosecution involved in juvenile cases," Shaikha Noura told the GDN.

That coincided with the outbreak of unrest and she said many of those arrested had been coerced into criminal activities by rogue elements.

"They were victims of the political situation and were obviously being used by someone, as they were too young to have a political inclination or understanding," she said on the sidelines of the two-day Juvenile Justice Workshop, which was supported by the British Embassy and concluded at the Ombudsman headquarters in Seef yesterday.

"But now the numbers have drastically come down, it is hardly one or two a month, thanks to a complete criminal justice system for juveniles.

"A large number of political cases in which juveniles were involved were dismissed with warnings while a handful of them, which were serious cases, were referred to the prosecution and courts.

"The serious cases involved children who were badly injured while handling explosives and those who were hurt while taking part in illegal rallies or protests."

Shaikha Noura was among two speakers during the first session of yesterday's workshop on the prosecution of juvenile offenders.

"In Bahrain we make sure that the best interest of the child is protected and his/her rights are considered on priority - beyond the crime, it is the child who is important," she said.

"We preserve the rights of the child in all cases possible and many cases are dismissed without hyping it because we don't want to harm the child psychologically and stop him from correction.

"Preserving the child's rights is not a priority in cases which involve a higher degree of crime like murder, as we are committed to international treaties and it could have a negative impact, both on a national and international level.

"Our system involves procedures and practices which ensure this basic principle and stakeholders involved work together to achieve this goal, which is in the best interest of the child."

She stressed that once police register a juvenile case, the system is geared towards providing maximum protection to the child.

"Evidence in defence of the case can be handed over to the Special Investigation Unit, while social workers at the prosecution and care centre co-ordinators from the Social Development Ministry (work) along with support from the Education and Interior ministries - together we work through this complete system to reach the solution," she said.

"As per international law, a lawyer is allowed for the child and the case is adjourned if there is a delay for the lawyer to attend the trial.

"Parents are provided with full details of the investigation and reports of the case as it develops and psychological assistance to children when needed is also provided, mostly in cases of sexual abuse."

Northern Ireland Public Prosecution Service assistant director Stephen Burnside also spoke, along with Bahrain's Public Prosecution Service social worker Fatima Faqeehi, Interior Ministry Juvenile Protection Centre head Major Mariam Mahmood and former chief executive of the Northern Ireland Youth Justice Agency Paula Jack.

"We will adapt and accept expertise from other countries, as part of our efforts to ensure continuous improvement to the system and this workshop is one of such initiatives," said Shaikha Noura. - TradeArabia News Service