W, 18 years old, comes from a dysfunctional family. He had a turbulent relationship with his parents. Consequently, he became more attached to his friends rather than his own family members. Whatever acceptance and recognition he did not receive from his parents, he got them from his friends. Part of their activities involved motorbike racing became his source of pride and achievement. He realized that it was a very dangerous activity but his life was a small price to pay for a moment of glory, fame and honour. Rewards for winning a race included a cash prize of RM5000, a girl for a night and the winner get o to keep the loser’s bike. He was to have won the race that night when his opponent deliberately knocked him down and caused his motorbike to spin out of control. That was when the police came and caught him. The expected glory became agony after W was thrown off his bike and had to spend time in prison.

X, 14 years old, lived with his mother, three sisters and two brothers. His mother is the sole breadwinner for the family as his father abandoned his family when he was younger. He dropped out of primary school and in order to support his family, he joined a gang that planned break-ins into residential houses. During one of his break-ins, he was caught by the police and found to be in possession of drugs. Consequently, he was put under remand in the Kajang Prison until his case is heard and decided by the court.

Z, 18 years old, was helping a friend sell pirated VCDs at a pasar malam. There was a raid by the police and his friend escaped but the police caught him. He insisted that he was innocent and because his parents had no money to bail him out, he has to remain in remand until his case is settled. His first hearing will be in a year’s time (2006). Meanwhile he has to remain in prison until his innocence is proven in court.

These are real life stories of children under remand in the Kajang Prison. There are currently about 250 juveniles under remand order in the Kajang Prison. The crimes they have committed range from petty crimes such as shoplifting to serious ones like rape and murder. They are all put together in the same cells irrespective of the crime they have committed. Most of these children come from poor and broken families who cannot afford to bail them out. In fact, some of their pants are not even aware of their current whereabouts.

Contrary to popular belief, there are many teenagers who are not true criminals in the actual sense. Some of them simply happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. These children, however, will probably somehow learn to be true criminals by modeling after more hardcore juvenile offenders in the same cell as theirs.

SHELTER’s role is to offer these children a second chance to make the best of their lives whether academically or otherwise. It is hoped that these children in prison will realize that there are people who care enough for them to want to be with and to spend some time with them, however short.