During a recent parliamentary debate, MP Sherfield Bowen of St. Philip South strongly criticized a new bill aimed at criminalizing children for loitering. Bowen argued that the criminal justice system is not the right solution for this issue.
He supported an amendment proposed by the MP for City West, which targets adults and businesses that harbor loitering children, but opposed penalizing the children themselves. Bowen emphasized that the problem should be addressed through educational and truancy regulations rather than criminal law.
He also expressed concerns about Section 11(a) of the bill, which broadly applies to all minors under 18, arguing that it is too sweeping and could infringe on the rights of emancipated minors. Bowen called for a more focused approach that respects the rights of young people while addressing the issue of loitering.
