The Long-Term Effects of Rehabilitation Program for Children in Conflict with the Law

This study determined the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs provided for in Republic Act 9344 for children in conflict with the law. Twenty one rehabilitated youth admitted from June to October 2018 participated in the study.All of them are permanent residents of Cabanatuan City, Central Luzon, Philippines. Results showed that diversion program, vocational training, livelihood skills training, fun games and sports development were perceived to be more effective than other methods while cleanliness drives are effective as it is understood as a punishment rather than restorative. The effective program provided formal and non-formal education, better ways in dealing with one's emotions; explore one’s strengths and weaknesses and economic empowerment. According to program implementers, challenges faced in the program were casework and limited financial assistance. Rehabilitated youth reported to have adapted a better perspective in life and are coping with problems well. Follow-up programs must be conducted to ensure the success of children in their community as well in school. Keywords— Rehabilitation, rehabilitation program, children in conflict with the law, justice system, diversion program, vocational training, livelihood skills training, sports development, descriptive design, Philippines.


INTRODUCTION
stated that the criminal justice system in the Philippinescharacterized by very poor and inadequate facilities, inhumane conditions, inefficient handling and resolution of cases, among othershas often failed for adult offenders and more so for children who have come into conflict with the law (CICL). These children, who are likely to have experienced abuse, abandon and neglect in their own homes and in their immediate environments, are now forced into harsh and dehumanizing situations within the adult criminal justice system that expose them to further abuse and tarnish any hope for them to be reintegrated into their families and communities and become responsible and productive citizens. According to the Juvenile Justice Study.com (2013), although several studies have been done on children's justice, most of these had very little quantitative data. Statistics usually focused on children who are in prisons, while other studies used secondary data. Some studies attempted to present the national situation, but fall short of providing an analysis of the different local contexts. Moreover, the perspectives of the children were seldom highlighted. While the direction of the recommendations arising from the studies seems clear in terms of national policies, concrete recommendations that can be carried out at the local context were not clearly articulated. Given these, we decided to embark on the three studies precisely to inform the work that our partners are doing at the local level, where the impact on the lives of the children is more evident. Addressing issues of children in conflict with the law requires a holistic and integrated approach. More and more, Children with conflict of the Law (CICL) are viewed with suspicion and as a threat, and delinquent children and youth are seen primarily as offenders who should be punished and not as children and youth who present clear needs and concerns. We need to correct this perspective and approach the issue with a clear rights perspective. Said (2010) concluded that children are arrested and detained by police, tried by magistrates, and sent to institutions, including prisons, under systems of justice which in many cases are set up for adults. Although there are explicit international guidelines on the proper administration of juvenile justice and on community-based conflict resolution and rehabilitation of child offenders, children's rights and special needs are being ignored. These children are alleged to have come into conflict with the law of the land; however, no allowances are made for the fact that it is often the law that is in conflict with their survival behavior and the reality of their lives. According to Resource Centre (n.d.), large numbers of children in conflict with the law are socio-economic victims, denied their rights to education, health, shelter, care and protection. Many of them have had little or no access to education; many are working children. Some children have left their homes and taken to the streets to escape from violence and abuse at the hands of their families. Some are forced to make a living on the streets, in order to survive. Others have been abandoned by their families and left to fend for themselves and sometimes for younger siblings. These children, who are abandoned and destitute, are also at high risk of sexual exploitation, trafficking and becoming involved in substance abuse and the drug trade through peer influence or the influence of adult criminals. For children in conflict with the law, the processes of arrest, trial and custody destroy their childhood as a result of being denied their right to, for example, family life, education, care, protection and play. Many of them have little chance of rehabilitation and reintegration into society: discrimination against children who have been in conflict with the law, together with deprivation and poverty, limit their opportunities for developing into active and contributing adult citizens (Parven 2011). To ensure that children who have been marked as at risk of accessing the community's juvenile justice system and children in trouble with the law who have been removed or seek a diversion to custody from criminal justice officials provide the necessary legal assistance, community-based preventive and recovery programs, including appropriate social support services and life skill and education, to help them avoid criminal activities in the future. To ensure that juveniles in custody, receive adequate life skills, civil or justice education, legal therapy and pre-release and postrelease social support programs so that they have the necessary skills to return effectively into the society and are protected from re-offending. Creating civic support for children at risk and children in connection with the law by creating resources for municipal authorities and educating parents, teenagers and other community members on the rights and laws of children, juvenile justice and prevention of crime. To provide access to free legal care and advocacy programs for minors in trouble with the law and to their service providers for free legal advice(Hong Kun and Sophat, n.d.) In view of the references cited above, this study aimed to determine the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs and their effects on rehabilitated Children in conflict with the Law. It sought to answer the following: 1. how may the respondents' profile be described in terms of 1.1. Age; 1.2. gender; and1.3. Programs that have been undergone; 2. Are Rehabilitation programs effective in rehabilitating Children in Conflict with the Law?; 3. How may Diversion and Intervention programs affect the respondents in terms of3.1. Emotional; and 3.2. Psycho-social.

II.
METHODOLOGY The researchers employed a descriptive survey method validated by a quantitative method in the form of a questionnaire. Descriptive research is conclusive in nature, as opposed to exploratory. This means that descriptive research gathers quantifiable information that can be used for statistical inference on your target audience through data analysis. As a consequence, this type of research takes the form of closed-ended, which limits its ability to provide unique insights (Penwardern, 2014). According to Kumar (2014), as cited by Subia, et.al. (2019) and Jocson, et.al.(2019), "descriptive research systematically describes a situation, problem, phenomenon, service or program, attitude toward an issue or simply, it provides information on a subject".The research was conducted in different barangay in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, Philippines. The respondents of the study who were chosen purposively  were the rehabilitated children in conflict with the law and who finished and undergone the rehabilitation programs implemented on them such as; diversion and intervention.

III.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 1. Profile of the Rehabilitated Respondents' 1.  Formal education assistancethe process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university and the provision of money, resources, or information to help someone.

Very Effective
Cleanliness drives -the children that always clean in personal appearance.

Effective
Community service activitiesvoluntary work intended to help people in a particular area.

Effective
Sport development activities -This is to work with the community groups and individuals to increase particularly in sport and physical activity of all kinds.

4.75
Very effective  According to DSWD, these activities would be helpful to children; it can teach them how to provide their needs on their own good way, these activities also provide capital assistance to the child and their families to start an incomeproducing activity. And also according to them when a child and their family know how to earn money, there is a big possibility that their children will not return to committing another crime. As presented in the table the average weighted mean of Effectiveness of the Diversion Program is 4.45 which verbally interpreted as Very Effective. Table 2.2 as to psycho-social aspect shows the different effects of Diversion program, as presented on the Table  "Able to educate oneself by any means either non-formal or formal education provided on rehabilitation programs", got the highest mean with 4. 75 which verbally interpreted as Always, on the other hand, Able to produce income on your own good way" got the lowest mean 3.75 which verbally interpreted Very often. The Average Mean of Effects of Diversion Program is 4.36 which verbally interpreted as Always. According to DSWD, there are Education programs implemented and attached to rehabilitation programs. These programs aid CICL to educate themselves as they return to the community and continue their lives.

Effects of the Diversion Program
We are all aware that most of CICL are out of school youth. The rationale of these Educational programs is to prevent these children from committing crimes, if they can finish their studies or they just finish at least High School Level they can find a more decent job. Able to enhance yourself in terms of cultural activities such as art and music etc.

Very Often
Attending church, biblestudies and other religious activities.

Always
Able to educate yourself by any means either non-formal or formal education provided on rehabilitation programs.

Always
Active participation in community services and other activities that can improve your well-being.

Always
Being friendly to other people and sensitive to other's feelings.

Always
Obeying and respecting your parents.

Always
Seeking guidance and advice when you have personal problems.

Always
Refraining from doing illegal acts.

Always
Average Weighted Mean 4.36 Always

Always
Able to manage yourself especially when facing traumatic experiences.

Always
Able to identify personal interests and needs.

Always
Average Weighted Mean 4.33 Always Table 3.

Verbal Interpretation
Casework/ group work services-treatment and rehabilitation of children who undergo traumatic experiences that can affect their growth and development.

4.70
Very Effective Education/ Services-provide opportunities for the continuing education of children by formal and nonformal education.

Slightly Effective
Spiritual/ Religious Activities-attendance at church, bible studiesand fellowships.

Effective
Provision of limited financial assistance-aim to meet needs for food, clothing, footwear, assistance, etc.

Not Effective
Recreational, Sports and 4.52 Effective other socio-cultural activitiesaims to encourage and participate on the basis of their interests and needs. Functional Literacy-provides alternative education and cultural activities.

Effective
Medical Services-a form of referral for medico-legal examination, hospitalization and medical treatment.

Slightly Effective
Livelihood Servicesprovisions of skills training and a grant of capital assistance to enable the child to engage in incomeproducing activities.

Slightly Effective
Average Weighted mean 3.55 Effective According to DSWD traumatic experiences have a great impact on the development of a child. Traumatic experiences can lead to Phobias, Fear, Anxiety or worse Aggression that can lead to the commission of crimes. Casework Services is an activity that undergone by the child who has traumatic experiences, this activity got the highest mean and can be considered as the most effective activity under the Intervention Program. This activity helps children to forget their traumatic experiences and can lead to better development of their personality and behavior. The Average Weighted mean of the Effectiveness of the Intervention Program is 3.55 which verbally interpreted as Effective. Table 3.2 shows the different effects of Intervention programs. As presented on the table Refraining from doing illegal acts got the highest mean with 4.35 which verbally interpreted as Always, on the other hand, "Able to produce income on your own good way" got the lowest mean with 3.23 which verbally interpreted as Often. The average weighted mean is 3.72 which is verbally interpreted as Very Often    CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the findings, the following conclusions were drawn: There are total of 21 respondents, 1 of 21 respondents have age ranging from of 9-12 that comprises 4.76 percent of the population, 8 respondents have the age of 13 to15 that comprises 38.1 percent of the total population, 12 respondents have the age of 16-18 that comprises 57.14 percent of total population. Most of the respondents are males which comprise 85.71 percent of the total population, while the females comprise 14.29 percent of the total population. Most of the respondents have undergone an Intervention Program which comprises 80.95 percent of the total population, while the rest of the respondents undergo Diversion Program which comprises 19.05 percent of the total population. The rehabilitation programs implemented to the respondents were described as effective, it is clearly stated based on the effects that more often or mostly more often observable to the children undergo a rehabilitation program. Rehabilitation programs have a positive effect on children's emotional aspects because based on the data they able to make the right decision despite the traumatic incidents happened to them, it is observable on how they enable find their personal interest, able to manage their emotions and not being short temper. Psycho-social well-being of rehabilitated children improved, it is observable when they participated in community activities, always obeying their parents and instead of seeking guidance to their peers, and they seek the advice of their parents. Therefore, the rehabilitation being implemented is effective. It is based on the result of the effects and the positive transformations experienced by the children.

Effects of Intervention Program
In the light of the findings, conclusions and limitations of the study, the following are highly recommended: Future researchers may extend the scope of the study, aside from the Effects of Rehabilitation Program to Life of rehabilitated CICL after undergone Rehabilitation Programs and increase the number of respondents of the study for more accurate result and to make accurate decisions given available information .Conduct of Barangay visit and face to face interviews with the respondents is also ACKNOWLEDGMENT The researcher would like to extend their gratitude to the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, Philippines for their support in order to enhance and improve their programs for the vulnerable minors and children under their custody and who undergone rehabilitation, intervention and diversion program.