Presented by Brian Chidampamba Katimba (LLB-Hons) OCG EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

 Collaboration is the process of individuals or organizations sharing resources and responsibilities jointly to plan, implement and evaluate programs to achieve a common goal.  Collaboration is usually confused with cooperation and coordination which are processes essential to effective collaboration.  Cooperation involves parallel activities among individuals or organizations that associate informally to accomplice common goals i.e. agency procedures and practice remain distinct and are determined without reference to procedures and policies of other agencies.  Coordination on the other hand involves interactive efforts to alter or smooth the relationship of independent organizations, staff and resources. Here, agencies initiate changes on their policies but do not fundamentally affect the way they do business.

CHARACTERISTICS & ELEMENTS OF COLLABORATION  Collaboration is usually characterized by team work, mutual planning, shared ownership of problems, shared vision and goals, adjustment of policies and procedures, integration of ideas, synchronization of activities and timelines, contribution of resources, joint evaluation and mutual satisfaction and pride of accomplishment in providing a quality and comprehensive service delivery system.  Generally collaboration consist of three elements: 1. Jointly developing and agreeing to set common goals and directions; 2. Sharing responsibility for obtaining goals; and 3. Working together to achieve such goals  It should be noted that effective collaboration is not easy to achieve; however it is possible to do so when there is a commitment and systematic efforts by different agencies.  Through effective collaboration, duplicity of work is reduced, people’s concerns are easily heard since they speak with one voice, agencies have pride over something they did not accomplish individually and which perhaps could not be accomplished if they worked alone.

THE POWER OF INNOVATIVELY COLLABORATE IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM

INNOVATION & JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM (JJS) EXPLAINED The word innovation means a positive change of something. Juvenile Justice System (JJS) would be defined as a network of institutions that try to check, prevent and control the delinquete behaviour of children. Such institutions include police, courts, prisons, social welfare departments, etc. For example, a child who smokes marijuana and beat his friends at school would likely face the JJS in that apart from being dismissed from school, he would be arrested by police, tried in court and then sent to prison as punishment and for rehabilitation. In other words, the teacher of such child see a potential drop out from school, a parent sees a trouble maker, police sees a potential criminal, health worker sees one predisposed to great health risks etc. Therefore, creating a JJS which recognises the role played by different agencies together is innovative in nature. Further innovations would then come in the ideas that these agencies would bring to improve the JJS.

WHAT WORKS BETTER FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM Research shows that the use of single strategy approaches to addressing issues of violence and delinquency reduction among the youth simply does not work. In fact, too many practices in juvenile corrections do not deter criminal behaviour, provide ineffective treatment (if treatment is provided at all) and are not associated with lower rates of recidivism. ‘Reactive’ solutions, such as building more juvenile prisons or adding more beds in existing facilities to accommodate those affected by ‘get tough on juveniles’ policies, are not only less effective, but also cost more than proactive approaches such as preventing crime and providing educational support to offenders, their families and their communities, or to those individuals considered to be at risk at offending.

WHAT WORKS BETTER FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM What does appear to work to work in improving and achieving better results for an effective juvenile justice system is the reorientation of services offered by the variety of agencies and organizations that exist in every community to serve the youth. Education sector, justice departments, mental health departments, child welfare, and recreational services have a role to play in improving the juvenile justice system. While change is not easy, it has been shown to work when these agencies make the commitment to collaborate with one another to provide comprehensive, effective services using a positive approach in order to help the youth, families and communities at every stage of need i.e. before facing the juvenile justice system, whilst the youth is facing the juvenile justice system and after the youth has faced the juvenile justice system. Programs to this effect will definitely improve the juvenile justice system.

SOME OF INNOVATIVE IDEAS TO IMPROVE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM Improving preventive mechanisms that may lead a child to face the juvenile justice system such as setting more recreational centres for the youths in communities likely to have deliquete youths Improving the quality of education offered to youth both in prison and outside. For instance offering career guidance to the youth would make them connect school with the world of work hence they will work hard and remain at school so that they should achieve their future dream instead of engaging in criminal conducts. Diverting children in conflict with the law from the formal criminal justice system. For instance the Mwai Wosinthika program being done by Irish Rule of Law in collaboration with Chisomo Children Club and complementing efforts from Organization for Career Guidance is helping to restore the lost dignity of many kids who commit offences. Having several post release programs such as Ex-offenders day where all ex offenders could be brought together to share experience and be role models to other youth NOTE: All these suggested ideas, could bring positive change to the juvenile justice system. That would be the case because none could be implemented with individual effort alone but through collaboration of many agencies.

THE POWER OF COLLABORATION IN PICTORIAL

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. GOD BLESS YOU