Commissioner Bean's administration. Formerly the Women's Police Department, which no longer exists (women are now involved in every facet of the Police Service), the unit deals with juvenile issues, sexual and physical child abuse, and vulnerable persons, in particular the elderly. Community and Juvenile Services focuses on the juvenile liaison scheme, which is a programme set up for first-time offenders. Rather than appear in court, offending juveniles are regularly supervised by a police officer for a minimum of six months. Inspector Gertrude Barker said there is a need for a juvenile detention centre in Bermuda. "At one time -- 15 to 20 years ago, juveniles were detained at Paget Island but the Government decided the area was no longer suitable. Since then, we've had no real facility for rehabilitation.

"We're now dependent on hostels for rehab,'' she said. "The hostel has little security and children carry on with regular life -- they are basically free to roam around. "I think several young people have abused the system because we have little ability to restrain them. There are many repeat offenders. "Many of the kids that live in hostels are still committing crimes,'' she noted. Shoplifting, house break-ins and cycle thefts are among some of the crimes committed by juveniles. When juveniles are caught committing a crime, they are brought into the police station and interviewed.

They are then released to their parents or guardians, said Insp. Barker. "If a child is already in supervised care, he or she is released to their supervisor. "Otherwise they are cautioned or asked to appear in juvenile court. In court, the magistrate sentences them to a hostel or places them on the juvenile liaison scheme. Juvenile offences have risen in the last four years according to Insp. Barker, who attributes the problem in part to the past recession. "There is no other explanation for the increase,'' she said.

Sexual or physical child abuse which is reported to the Department of Social Services or other agencies is always brought to the attention of Community and Juvenile Services, said Insp. Barker. The department then makes enquiries in to any allegations. "Most physical abuse is reported by the victims themselves but the majority of sexual abuse cases come to us through other agencies,'' she said. "If cases go to court, most of the time the defendant pleads guilty so the victim doesn't have to give evidence.'' The department has an average of one sexual abuse case per week, she noted. Officers from the division also travel to nursery and primary schools to give lectures on abuse.

"We want to make sure children are made aware of abuse and abusive situations,'' said Insp. Barker. Community and Juvenile Services also deal with incidents which involve the elderly. "We have a vulnerable people's register,'' said Insp. Barker. "And any time an officer covers an incident that involves the elderly, they enter their names in the book. "If these elderly people are deemed vulnerable, the officer will visit them periodically to make sure everything is okay.'' PHOTO HARD AT WORK - Officer in Charge of Community and Juvenile Services, Insp. Gertrude Barker with (left to right) P.c. Lucette Lee, Sgt. Sharman Marcus, Constables Michael Jackman and Angela Whitter.