“A Conditional Right: Punishment and the Right to Education within the Juvenile Justice System in Colombia”

Viviana Veloza Martinez

206 Ingraham Hall | VIRTUAL
@ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
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About the presentation: More than 10,000 adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18 are involved in the juvenile justice system in Colombia (Sistema de Responsabilidad Penal Adolescente). The law establishes that adolescents must have access to education within the juvenile system, whether they are serving custodial or non-custodial sentences. Despite the existence of clear regulations on how the right to education should be implemented within the juvenile system, the educational needs of these adolescents remain overlooked. Available educational data is nearly nonexistent, and government reports only reveal low retention and high rates of school dropout. We know almost nothing about the learning experiences of these young people.

In this presentation, I will share the findings of a qualitative case study conducted in Colombia. Drawing from 25 semi-structured interviews and governmental archives, the study explores how public officials, including teachers, make sense of and shape youth’s right to education. I will also discuss the main educational challenges these young people face and  address potential solutions and approaches for future research in this field

About the presenter: I am a proud LACIS and EPS student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I have a bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts and a graduate degree in Public Policy and Government from Colombia. I have experience in the formulation of public policies for children and adolescents in the governmental sector, directly coordinating with communities and non-governmental organizations. My professional experience lies in the field of public policy development, intergovernmental coordination, and oversight of projects that promote access to education and human rights. My area of research interest is the examination of educational trajectories of children and adolescents who live living in marginalized situations, as a way of comprehending the impact of educational policies on their life trajectories.