Section 1—Juvenile.
(1) For purposes of the Act a juvenile is a person under eighteen years who is in conflict with the law.
(2) A juvenile shall be dealt with in a manner which is different from an adult, except under exceptional circumstances under section 17.
Section 2—Welfare Principle.
The best interest of a juvenile shall be
(a) paramount in any matter concerned with the juvenile; and
(b) the primary consideration by a juvenile court, institution or other body in any matter concerned with a juvenile.
Section 3—Rights of the Juvenile.
(1) A juvenile has the right to privacy during arrest, the investigation of an offence, at the trial of the offence and at any other stage of the cause or matter.
(2) A person shall not in the course of arrest, investigation or trial of an offence connected with a juvenile, or at any other stage of the cause or matter, release any information for publication that may lead to the identification of the juvenile.
(3) Any person who contravenes subsection (2) commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding 250 penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 12 months or to both.
Section 13—Interview of Juvenile.
(1) A juvenile shall not be questioned or interviewed by the police in relation to any alleged offence unless a parent, guardian, lawyer or close relative of the juvenile is present at the interview.
(2) If a parent, guardian, lawyer or close relative cannot be contacted by the police to be present at the interview, a probation officer shall be present.
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (1), where the police consider that it is not in the best interest of the juvenile to have a parent, guardian, lawyer or close relative of the juvenile present, the police shall arrange for a probation officer to be present at the interview.
Section 14—Recognizance.
(1) A juvenile under arrest shall be released by the police on self recognizance or a recognizance entered into by a parent, guardian, close relative or other responsible person, unless the offence of which the juvenile stands accused is a serious offence or if it is necessary to remove the child from certain associations.
(2) If a juvenile is not released on recognizance, the police shall seek an order from a juvenile court to place the juvenile in a remand home or any place of safety designated by the Social Welfare Department of a District Assembly.
(3) The order shall be made by the juvenile court within forty-eight hours after the arrest of the juvenile.
Section 15—Detention of Juvenile at Police Station.
(1) The police shall make arrangements to detain the juvenile in a part of a police station specially designated for juveniles or in a part of a police station which is separate from the area where persons other than juveniles are detained.
(2) Subsection (1) applies where the juvenile is not released on recognizance under section 14 or within forty-eight hours after the juvenile has been arrested.
(3) A juvenile shall not be allowed to associate with any person other than a relative, a lawyer or a public officer whilst detained at a police station or being transported to a remand home or place of safety.
(4) A juvenile shall be under the care of an adult of the same sex when detained in a police station or whilst being transported to a remand home or place of safety.
(5) Male juveniles shall be held separately from female juveniles.
(6) A juvenile in detention at a police station has the right to
(a) adequate food;
(b) medical treatment if required;
(c) reasonable visits from parents, guardian, lawyer or close relative; and
(d) any other conditions reasonably required for the welfare of the juvenile.