In principle, juvenile inmates are admitted to juvenile prisons. In addition to juvenile inmates(imprisonment classification Grade J), young inmates under26years of age(Grade Y)are also admitted to juvenile prisons. In light of the characteristics of these inmates, juvenile prisons form appropriate treatment groups to ensure treatment focused on vocational training, academic education and living guidance. In conducting such activities, juvenile prisons receive considerable support from local communities.
  In addition to special consideration for meals, arrangements are made for juvenile inmates under20years of age, such as the provision of separate rooms to enable study, consideration of transfers to vocational training, and encouragement to participate in club activities.
  Subjects of vocational training include welding, automobile maintenance, electrical engineering, hairdressing, and boiler operation, among others. Many have obtained publicly acknowledged qualifications and licenses or acquired vocational skills that aid self-sustenance and rehabilitation after release.
  For general education, Matsumoto Juvenile Prison established a branch of a local public junior high school within its premises in1955. Also, Matsumoto, Nara and Morioka Juvenile Prisons have opened correspondence courses for senior high school education in cooperation with local prefectural senior high schools. In March2000,seven inmates(all aged20or over but less than26at the time of admission)completed senior high school education programs. It is also possible to take correspondence courses in social and school education.
  Living guidance aims to develop sound minds, nurture autonomy and a law-abiding spirit, as well as imparting necessary knowledge and attitudes to life. With due consideration of the characteristics of adolescence, systematic activities are conducted, including guidance and training at the beginning of sentence execution, guidance and support prior to release, guidance counseling, guidance on reading, meetings, external education and physical education.