Circulating through the System

Juvenile Justice and the Mobile Lives of Street Children in the Dominican Republic

Abstract

This paper explores mobility, circulation, and identity formation among street youth in Santo Domingo. The spatial mobility of street children and youth within the city is tied to their circulation through various private and state-sponsored child protection agencies. While juvenile justice institutions are concerned with guaranteeing child protection and rights, street children struggle to maintain their autonomy. Street youth utilize notions of innocence, childhood and justice to advocate for freedom or leniency in legal settings.