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Child rights advocate Dr. Marsha Hinds-Myrie has strongly opposed a proposal by acting Director of Public Prosecutions Alliston Seale SC to penalize parents for their children’s misconduct, arguing that Barbados’ social support system is “completely broken.” Dr. Hinds-Myrie emphasized that policymakers must urgently address the lack of early intervention and assistance for struggling families, rather than resorting to punitive measures. She highlighted that while holding parents accountable may be justified in countries with robust support systems, such as the United States, Canada, or the United Kingdom, Barbados lacks the necessary infrastructure to provide adequate help to families in need.

Dr. Hinds-Myrie questioned the feasibility of criminalizing parents when there are no accessible resources or programs to address behavioral issues in children. She pointed out the absence of structured interventions, such as anger management programs or community outreach initiatives, which are critical for supporting families. “If I have a child in Barbados who is eight years old and exhibits problematic behavior, where do I take that child?” she asked. “We do not have any of that in Barbados.”

The advocate also criticized the acting DPP for proposing punitive measures despite being aware of the systemic gaps. She argued that parents cannot be held accountable when the social safety net is riddled with deficiencies. Dr. Hinds-Myrie linked current parenting struggles to historical failures in addressing children’s behavioral needs, recalling her teaching experience at the Parkinson School in the early 2000s. She noted that many of her former students, who had unresolved behavioral issues, are now parents themselves and face challenges in raising their children.

Dr. Hinds-Myrie stressed the need for Barbados to focus on cultivating parenting skills and implementing structured programs to replace outdated practices like corporal punishment. “We do not put a real significant focus on cultivating parenting skills in Barbados,” she said. “This is part of my discomfort with just saying punish the parents.”

Joy Sharon’s life is a testament to the transformative power of education. Growing up in a household marred by domestic violence, she turned her personal struggles into a mission to empower children, particularly those with dyslexia, through literacy. Now an award-winning literacy advocate, Joy is reshaping the educational landscape in Barbados, ensuring every child has the tools to read, write, and thrive.

Amid growing concerns over youth violence, literacy specialist Joy Sharon has highlighted a critical yet overlooked factor: undiagnosed dyslexia. Speaking on Friday, Sharon emphasized the urgent need for research and reform, citing mounting evidence linking low literacy levels to criminal behavior. She warned that the failure to identify and support dyslexic youth is contributing to a troubling rise in youth offending.

Dyslexia, a lifelong language-based learning difficulty, affects reading, writing, and spelling due to challenges in processing language. It is unrelated to intelligence but involves difficulties in identifying speech sounds and their relation to words and letters. Symptoms often emerge when children start school, manifesting as struggles with reading fluency, poor spelling, and difficulty sounding out words.

Sharon pointed to international studies showing that nearly half of prison populations are dyslexic, with some U.S. research indicating that 47% of inmates have the condition. “There’s an over-representation of dyslexia in the prison system,” she noted, stressing that this connection is being ignored in Barbados. She criticized the lack of attention to dyslexia in schools, where children with the condition often go unsupported, leading to severe emotional and academic consequences.

Recent data from Barbados underscores the issue. A government study revealed that 95% of inmates convicted of violent crimes read at the level of a three-year-old. Cheryl Willoughby, director of the Criminal Justice Research and Planning Unit, called for a reevaluation of the educational system to identify and support children with learning challenges early. “We need to have proper monitoring systems within our schools,” she said, advocating for early intervention and the inclusion of social workers to address these issues.

Superintendent of Prisons DeCarlo Payne highlighted a concerning trend of younger offenders entering Dodds Prison, with inmates as young as 15 or 16 committing increasingly violent crimes. In response, Minister of Home Affairs and Information Wilfred Abrahams announced a reform agenda focused on rehabilitation through educational opportunities, extending these programs to prison officers as well.

Sharon urged schools to identify and support students with learning difficulties before they fall behind, emphasizing that early intervention is crucial not only for literacy but also for preventing long-term social consequences. “If you don’t know you have a learning challenge, you think there’s something wrong with you,” she said, stressing the impact on self-esteem and self-worth. Addressing dyslexia, she argued, is key to breaking the cycle of crime and incarceration.