THE Hohola Juvenile Justice Centre in Port Moresby was presented with a K65,000 15-seater Toyota Hiace bus by the Community Based Corrections Branch of the Department of Justice.
National juvenile justice working committee chairman Benny Metio during the presentation said the work of the Sacred Heart Brothers-run centre went a long way in reforming juvenile offenders who come into conflict with the law.
The centre holds up to 16 youths between the ages of seven and 18, many of whom share a common background of difficult upbringing, broken families and homelessness.
Mr Metio said the donation was a part of the ongoing efforts to reform the juvenile justice system throughout the country by the Department of Justice and other law enforcement agencies.
He said the juvenile reform aimed to divert young offenders from the formal justice system and encouraged community-based correction programmes such as basic education, counselling, unpaid community and religious work and religious instruction.
Earlier this year, a major renovation work funded by the Department of Justice which included the upgrading of the shower and toilet facilities and perimeter fencing was carried out at the centre at a cost of K80,000.
The centre was one of three similar institutions in PNG including Erap Boys town outside Lae city and Wewak Boys town supported through the juvenile justice reform programme.