60-65% juvenile beggars return to vagrancy after rehabilitation — policy paper

AMMAN — Between 60 to 65 per cent of juvenile beggars return to vagrancy once they finish with their rehabilitation programmes, according to a recent policy paper by Jordanian NGO Tamkeen for Legal Aid and Human Rights (Tamkeen).

Juveniles’ stay at the rehabilitation facility should be revised, according to a Tamkeen statement sent to The Jordan Times

“Providing proper rehabilitative services is regarded as a key aspect in minimising child begging in Jordan,” the statement said. 

The short period of time spent at rehabilitation facilities does not offer comprehensive services, Tamkeen statement added. 

Social Development Ministry Spokesperson Ashraf Khreis told The Jordan Times that “the duration of these programmes is not determined by the ministry, but rather determined by the juvenile court judge”.

The check in and check out into such facilities are not tasks belonging to the ministry’s authority, he said, adding that the number of juveniles involved in panhandling halved in 2022, when compared with 2021. 

The February report with the total numbers of vagrants arrested throughout the month is to be published by the end of the current week, he said. 

According to the ministry, a total of 609 beggars were arrested in January this year, during a span of 300 campaigns.