Government and private agencies in the Philippines who work with juvenile offenders believe that releasing a youth to parents or a responsible person in the community is still the most effective approach. However, certain problems within the juvenile justice system sometimes inhibit these programs. Planning activities have not been coordinated among the various components of the system. For example, a Presidential decree lowered the age limits for youthful offenders from 21 to 18, but no special treatment programs for this age group were created and they were placed in adult prisons. Statistics on juvenile crime are incomplete and do not follow a uniform reporting format. The police tend to be punitive in handling young offenders and need special training. They also hamper diversion by social service workers by ignoring a law that requires law enforcement officers to take a youthful offender to a medical officer for a physical and mental examination immediately following an arrest. Prosecutors prevent diversion to community programs by advising minors to plead guilty so that cases are expedited and they receive suspended sentences. Many judges ignore the juvenile codes and try youths in the same manner as adults. The slow disposition of cases often results in prolonged detention for minors and prohibits intervention at an early stage. Because the family and the community must play a major role in rehabilitating juvenile offenders, treatment programs have focused on establishing harmonious relationships among family members and educating the community about delinquency prevention.