Association of Mothers and Friends of Children and Adolescents at Risk, Rio de Janeiro (AMAR-RJ)

The mission of AMAR is to promote and strengthen action by families and the community to monitor the implementation of alternative sentences or socio-educational measures, aimed not only at social control, a central thrust of the System to Safeguard Rights provided under the Statute of Children and Adolescent (ECA), as well as rehabilitation in the community, thus acting to prevent delinquency.

The association works by monitoring the situation at the juvenile confinement facilities under DEGASE (General Department of Socio-Educational Actions in Rio de Janeiro) and the filing and follow-up of complaints and linking the network of community services.

The activities also include training workshops. For the community, the issue is the Statute of Children and Adolescents and human rights, which includes distribution of a workbook. The families participate in brainstorming workshops that encourage conflict resolution and offer social support, in addition to receiving follow-up through home visits.

Partnerships with various institutions ensure these and other projects and activities to defend adolescents in conflict with the law.

The Project

Through the project Family Empowerment and Enforcement of New Guidelines for Alternative Sentences for Young Offenders, the association seeks respect for the rights of children and adolescents in risk situations in the city of Rio de Janeiro, by monitoring public policies.

Monitoring the state, supporting and orienting mothers, and empowering collective action to control the socio-educational measures in the confinement facilities in Rio de Janeiro are the activities proposed to ensure enforcement of the Statue of Children and Adolescents.

AMAR can file formal complaints and take other legal action to enforce effective results of the socio-educational process and increase the young person’s chances for rehabilitation in society.

The goal is that such action will lead to a decrease in repeat offense rates and thus a reduction in violence.