Study of the Challenges of Juvenile Justice Administration in Kano State

Juvenile justice in Nigeria operates within a framework that lacks adequate rehabilitation infrastructure, trained personnel, and procedural safeguards, with northern Nigerian states particularly challenged by cultural and Islamic law interface complexities. This study examined the challenges of juvenile justice administration in Kano State, North West Nigeria. A mixed-methods design was adopted, combining structured interviews with 12 juvenile court magistrates, 8 correctional welfare officers, and 6 NGO child rights workers with review of juvenile case processing records at two Kano juvenile courts for 2021 to 2023. Assessment dimensions included legal framework application, detention conditions, legal representation access, diversion programme availability, and rehabilitation services. Results showed that only one dedicated juvenile court operated in Kano with functional full-time juvenile matters jurisdiction. Legal representation was provided to only 18.3 percent of juvenile defendants. Detention in adult facilities occurred in 37.2 percent of cases due to absent juvenile remand infrastructure. Diversion programmes (caution, community service, family conferencing) were applied in 22.8 percent of eligible cases. Aftercare services post-release were virtually absent. The study concludes that juvenile justice in Kano State fundamentally fails to meet the rights and rehabilitation standards required by the Child Rights Act. Recommendations include dedicated juvenile justice facilities, mandatory legal aid, diversion programme scaling, and Islamic law-compatible rehabilitation model development.

Keywords: juvenile justice, Kano State, child rights, rehabilitation, juvenile offenders