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Οn April 1 Fair Planet offered, a first batch of books in order to reinforce the capacities of the library of the Juvenile Detention center of Volos.
Members of Fair Planet delivered 400 volumes covering various topics, adapted for the young readers of different nationalities the majority of which written in Greek. Books written in English , French, Albanian were also delivered. Fair Planet accumulated most of these works thanks to the generous offer of the publishers:
Oceanis, Thymari, Apopeira, Odos Panos and Govostis who immediately answered its call. Citizens and members of the organization gave a considerable support for this initiative showing their sensitivity with respect to the detained minors. This batch is composed of works of literature (traditional, modern, juvenile, prose and poetry), but also of encyclopedias and school handbooks, dictionaries, books of foreign language learning, essays on minors' problems, albums on historical, cultural and social topics . The books were received with enthusiasm both by the young prisoners and the administration of the Detention center. The Juvenile Detention center of Volos currently shelters approximately 120-140 young persons aged from 15 to 23 years and who are of 17 different nationalities.
A primary school runs in the center which is attended by 50 detainees. The average duration of stay in the center is about 2 years. This is the first of a series of Fair Planet's actions which aim to the creation and/or the reinforcement of existing capacities of libraries in detention centers in Greece , with works covering a vast range of subjects and interests, targeting to the creative entertainment, education and foreign language instruction of the prisoners. The next batch of books will be delivered soon to the Detention center of Women in Elaiona in the area of Thèbes, and thereafter, to other detention centers for minors and adults. During the last two decades, the number of minors having an alleged illegal behavior, increases gradually and percentages are much higher than those of adult criminality .
Several hundreds of minors are held as much in correctional institutions, as in detention houses . The State seems to have very little concern on the prevention of juvenile delinquency and considers imprisonment as the “solution” to the problem. Children and teenagers of 13,14 and 15 to 21 years of age are imprisoned, in the majority of cases for an unimportant reasons, or often because they have no means to pay the bail imposed, and further more because there are no alternative rehabilitation centers. Data of the Ministry of Justice indicate that during May 2008, 438 young persons (up to 21 years of age), including 60 minors , were imprisoned in Greek institutions, mainly due to violation of the driving code , for minor offenses, property damage, for use of narcotics (causes increasingly frequent ), clandestine immigration and of which only 1% could be regarded as criminal acts (if one can use this term for this age range). More than 50% are in custody .
Three prisoners out of four and more of the double of the minor prisoners are foreigners. Since juvenile delinquency is often the result of poor living conditions combined with “unfavorable” circumstances, society must provide these youngsters with the choice to improve their living conditions and choose a different future than the one they are destined by their social origin, far from sadness and of disappointment.
The goal of their rehabilitation must be the adaptation to healthy and stable social structures, self-control, reinforcement of their education, the contribution to their mental equilibrium and intellectual qualities . Facilitated access to reading under insulation conditions ' can have multiple beneficial effects on the young prisoners. Books can offer information country in which they live as well as other countries, allow them to increase their knowledge, to familiarize themselves with society, provide them with an enriching distraction, give them hope. Sometimes, they can develop their competences in specific fields and thus gain self-confidence. Minor prisoners need this support so as to feel that society provides care of them and their future. The young detainees must have the right to dream. For more information, please contact the persons in charge of the program: Evita Kalliambetsou,
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Efi Giakouvaki,
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