Global Journal of Science Frontier Research, H: Environment & Earth Science, Volume 21 Issue 6

An Economic Evaluation of Thailand Juvenile Vocational Training Centers Natthaprat Nantiwatkun α & Chompoonuh K. Permpoonwiwat σ Abstract- The main role of the Juvenile Vocational training center is to rehabilitate young offenders and support their social reintegration, including protecting communities from unsafe situations. Imprison offenders would be faced a real challenge at the time of their release unless efficient and effective programs are provided. The paper analyzed the cost per unit and examined the Economies of Scale of the 17 juvenile vocational training centers across Thailand. The analysis was based on a data set during 2016 - 2019 from the Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection. The average cost per unit in the center was $168 per month or $2,018 annually. The results revealed that both small- and large-scale centers were inefficient. Incidentally, this cost per unit paid for an offender was lower than the national comparing average cost of living. Therefore, the means of increasing operational efficiency in Juvenile Vocational Training Center must be exerted to avoid the internal diseconomies of scale. Keywords: economies of scale; cost per unit; juvenile offenders, juvenile vocational training center (JVTC). I. I ntroduction owadays, there were continually decreasing in birth and mortality rate, developing children and adolescence to high potential was essential to the future of the country. Even as a group of juvenile offenders (The people are under 18-year-old who committed criminal assault, murder, rape, burglary, drug trafficking, etc.), the government must invest their potentials and not let them be left behind. When someone had committed a criminal crime and was prosecuted to a court trial and a prison sentence was issued. In that case, children and young adults will be sentenced to detention in Juvenile Vocational Training Center (JVTC). Under the Beijing Law [15] and the Convention of the Rights of the Child, the Vocational Center was organizing youth rehabilitation therapy, with the expectation that uncontrolled youths can grow into good Samaritans and helpful citizens of the country. Following the law and international principle, Thailand Juvenile Vocational Training Center (JVTC), Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection (DJOP), Ministry of Justice, also must address treatment needs, develop skills, and rehabilitate juveniles that the court has ordered probation to protect the welfare and to improve the quality of life. Juvenile offenders were characterized by a high risk of recidivism, poverty- stricken, and low investment in potential development, so they were often unsuccessful in life and got set back because they were not well educated [12] and were not interested in studying, and often had to drop out of school [8]. Carter [2] explained that childhood laborers with a history of violent behavior and a previous offense were less successful in their lives than the youth without a history. Lower average incomes and the high unemployment rate are the results of improper nurturing, and growing up in an unsuitable environment. Therefore, the JVTC's juvenile rehabilitation therapy had divided the training activities into 3 modules: 1) the provision of compulsory education and professional training, 2) the adjustment of attitudes and cognitive behavior, and 3) the rehabilitation of physical health and lifestyle hygiene. According to the Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection report [4], since 2015, they have received more than $ 59.4 million (exchange rate was ฿ 32: $1) from the government, an increase of approximately 2.4% per year. Except in the year 2019, there had been allocated a reduced budget. The number of juvenile offenders continued to decline by an average of 5%. About 34% of that budget was for JVTC, which had 21 locations spread across the country. Each center had different sizes to accommodate the youths. There were approximately 4,000-6,000 juvenile offenders in JVTC, from a total of 30,000 juvenile offenders, accounting for 0.9% of the total number of juveniles each year. The risk and the necessity of misdemeanor survey data [11] found that half of the youths were drug offenses. Most of them were abusive, violent, had improper parenting, and did not receive a good education. Therefore, JVTC, a government facility, should have the mission of remediation and rehabilitation for juvenile offenders. They had behaviors and attitudes that affected social order and were difficult to correct. Child potential development required adequate and appropriate resources. However, the cost of the center was disproportionate to the youth when compared to the centers. Small centers with less than 100 youths had a cost that was equivalent to the large centers. The situation affected different qualities of youth rehabilitation therapy [8]. As mentioned, JVTC evidentially receives additional government funding, but the number of N 1 Global Journal of Science Frontier Research Volume XXI Issue VI Year 2021 1 ( H ) © 2021 Global Journals Version I Author α : Doctor of Philosophy Program in Economics. Srinakharinwirot University. e-mail: npongmak@gmail.com Author σ : Corresponding Author, Faculty of Economics, Srinakharinwirot University. e-mail: ckosalakorn@yahoo.com