Minor offenders who are jailed and are held in cells with mature offenders become more aggressive as a result of the abuses to which they are subject, said the people’s ombudswoman for children’s rights Maia Banarescu. According to her, it is important for all the minors who are jailed to be held in penitentiaries for minors, like the one in Goian, or arrest homes for minors should be built, IPN reports.

In a news conference, Maia Banarescu said penitentiary No. 10 in Goian is the only penitentiary for minors that is close to the European standards. “Only in this penitentiary, the minors benefit from more or less good detention conditions. They have access to the necessary services, including professional training, psychological counseling and medical services,” she stated.

The minors at this penitentiary who turned 18 and have to serve several more months ask not to be transferred to penitentiaries for adults. “It happens because of the aggressiveness, discrimination and psychological abuses to which the minors are often subject. The rape at Penitentiary No. 13 is the most recent example. Another example is the discrimination against a minor with disabilities held at Penitentiary No. 11 in Balti. This is put alone in the cell as he is always mentally abused by other detainees,” said the people’s ombudswoman for children’s rights.

Maia Banarescu said the psychological comfort of the child is not ensured in penitentiaries where minors are held together with adult offenders and aggressiveness thus appears. There are no programs intended for minors or the existing ones are not implemented. The minors often resort to self-mutilation in reaction to what is happening to them in jail. It is not only about psychological aggression, but also about use of violence and sexual abuse.

Almost 80 minors are held in the national penitentiaries. Of these, 28 serve time at Penitentiary No. 10 in Goian. The others are held in other jails.