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Friday, February 13th 2009 [ versión español ]
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Judge Laureana Pérez Pérez is known for her work in favor of children and youth with drug addiction or accused of delinquent acts. |
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Youth rehabilitation is completely possible, but it needs an optimistic and dedicated society that is willing to take action. That was the message clearly established by Laureana Pérez Pérez, judge of the Superior Court of Puerto Rico, during the conference entitled, Protecting them from Delinquency and Drugs, which took place Thursday, February 5, 2009 at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM).
The aforementioned activity took place in the amphitheatre Ramón Figueroa Chapel and was sponsored by the Chancellor’s Office, the Department of Medical Services and the University Institute for Community Development.
The judge, known for her work in favor of children and youth with addiction problems or associated with delinquent activities, used the book that she wrote, with the same title as the conference, as a reference.The text was presented by judge Sonia Ivette Vélez, director of the Puerto Rican Court Administration.
“She tackles the topic of children with a never ending positive attitude, from a description of the Puerto Rican criminal justice system to a revealing study that establishes rehabilitation facts. She has concrete recommendations for actions to be taken; almost an outcry for the formation of a new public policy for the rehabilitation and the prevention of delinquency,” assured Vélez.
The guest speaker shared that her concern for the youth is intricately tied to her judicial career. “It’s a very serious topic: drugs and delinquency. I’m letting you know in advance that my book is focused on optimism and the use of optimism as a force for social change, that is what I have come here to speak to you about,” she shared.
In her speech, she mentioned that the Puerto Rican society complains about the country’s problems but prefers to be a spectator to what is happening in their environment; while they feel that it is the government’s responsibility to deal with the country’s problems.
Pérez called for action and presented two examples of historical figures that dedicated themselves to changing their circumstances: Rosa Parks and Irena Sendler, women who defended civil rights of African Americans in the United States and the life of Jewish children during the Holocaust.
The Judge proposed that people should begin to work in an optimistic manner to achieve the desired changes for society. She ruled that optimism could be an agency for social change and not just an idealist vision, as many might think.
Children and youth immersed in delinquent activities and drugs can be rehabilitated and reincorporated as citizens for society’s benefit which was the idea that motivated her to initiate a study in correlation with the topic. As she explained the investigation consisted of a method based on reports of the conduct of youth that have been legally prosecuted.
The results reflected that close to 96 percent of the youth graduates of the court do not repeat criminal conduct but dedicate themselves to studying, many succeed in gaining acceptance to college, obtaining employment, or both.She also noted that only 4.1 percent of the chosen sample have not dedicated themselves to some productive activity.
In her message to the University community, Pérez Pérez manifested that it’s necessary to promote professional practices to improve public policies of health and prevention.She urged students to study so that they may transform the country. “A person who aspires to study to obtain a title has not done anything with his or her life,” she commented.
Administrative judges, as well as other officials from the judicial branch and Monsignor Iñaki Mayona, Bishop of the Arecibo Diocese attended the conference.
Video
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Judge Sonia Ivette Vélez, director of the Puerto Rican Court Administration, presented her colleague’s book.
The UPRM community, administrative judges, and officials from the judicial branch all attended the conference.In the center, from the left, judge Laureana Pérez Pérez, UPRM chancellor Jorge I. Vélez Arocho, and judge Sonia Ivette Vélez.
Book cover of Protecting them from Delinquency and Drugs.
Photographs by Carlos Díaz / UPRM Press
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