Minister for Women and Children Rosy Akbar is challenging the public to decrease crimes involving teenagers.

Akbar, who visited the Juvenile Centre in Suva says proper parenting is the best way to pull teenagers out of criminal behaviour.

“Families need to develop a bond where members do not get astray. That’s very important. We need to find out why certain things are happening. We also need to look at why these children are here so that we can prevent other children."

Most offenders who are in remand, have committed crimes such as theft, burglary and even serious crimes like rape.

There are currently ten juvenile offenders at the centre.