Quintana Roo’s New Program for Adolescent Support

QUINTANA ROO, Mexico — The state of Quintana Roo will soon implement a program aimed at prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and effective social reintegration for adolescents, known as "Therapeutic Justice."

Miguel Ángel Sánchez Tovar, an advisor to the state attorney general on Crime Prevention and Addictions, announced that the program is currently under analysis with significant progress toward its realization and application. The authorities have been collaborating on this initiative with the Central Mexican branch of Alcoholics Anonymous and the Youth Integration Centers of Quintana Roo.

Sánchez Tovar clarified that for minor offenses committed by individuals under the influence of psychoactive substances, an opportunity may be granted, provided three specific conditions are met.

"First, they must obtain forgiveness from the victim; second, they must repair the damage caused; and third, they must accept a therapeutic treatment that we will provide through the public prosecutor's office. This is a criterion of opportunity, which is perfectly established in both the federal and local penal codes," he stated.

Sánchez Tovar pointed out that individuals who enter the prison system rarely find adequate social reintegration. He noted that many who are released often pick up bad habits, ideas, or behaviors that can lead them to re-offend, sometimes in more serious circumstances.

The advisor on crime prevention and addictions for the state attorney general's office shared that the Therapeutic Justice program is already established in seven states across the republic, where it has yielded positive results. Authorities are hoping for a similar outcome in Quintana Roo.

"As I said, the program is being finalized, and we expect it to be established before the end of this year, but that will be announced by the state government authorities in due course," he concluded.