RIO DE JANEIRO (BDCi) – Officials have begun setting up policies aimed at low-income and homeless youth in an attempt to decrease the recent mass robberies taking place in some of Rio’s most well-known beaches.
The overall goal is to steer the youths away from the rampant crime and illegal activities.
The first integrated center that will help process these youngsters opened Monday (17) in the Zona Sul area of Laranjeiras.
Professionals from the child welfare department will collaborate with human rights agencies to process the youths, find their families and return them to their respective municipalities, if possible.
Cultural and sporting activities will also be expanded to focus on reducing idle time for these youngsters.
According to statistics, 871 Rio youths were arrested in September 2014. In the same month, nearly 14,000 thefts and robberies were reported, many of them on the beaches or boardwalks of Leblon, Ipanema and Copacabana.