ABSTRACT
Global data suggest that there is a rising rate of children and adolescents involved in juvenile justice systems. This rising rate is even more pronounced in developing countries, whose significant socio-economic adversities contribute to transgenerational criminal risk. Despite the increased prevalence of youth crime relative to other jurisdictions, an evidence-based framework for holistic psychosocial care of young offenders within the juvenile justice system is lacking in most African countries. In this chapter, we will explore the juvenile justice policies and practices of different countries in Africa, with a focus on the burden of mental illness, access to mental health care, human rights, diversion schemes and custodial care paradigms.
