By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Variety News Staff

THE increasing cases of juvenile delinquency have caused overcrowding at the Department of Youth Affairs’ correctional facility, hence the need to open a new unit, according to DYA director Chris Duenas.
“We’re experiencing crowding due to the influx of clients from major incidences at public schools,” Duenas said. “Judges are remanding these clients at a high rate, further crowding our facility.”
An additional unit has been opened, but DYA remained understaffed, Duenas said.
To address the staff shortage, DYA had to recall some of the youth service workers who have been assigned at the resource centers in Dededo, Mongmong-Toto-Maite and Agat.
As a result, services at the resource centers will be scaled down until further notice, the DYA director said. Services that are likely to be affected include school shadowing, mentoring, tutoring and transportation.
“It is unfortunate we face these hard decisions which come at the expense of valuable programs for our youth that promote positive development,” Duenas said. “We are doing everything we can to ensure services are not affected further.”
Last week, government officials broke ground for the construction of the Haya Regional Youth Resource Center in Agat, which will provide facilities and resources to promote greater opportunities for the island’s youth and their families.