3.14 Vulnerable offenders 3.14.1 The Department raised a number of challenges related to the verification of child offenders' ages. Where an offender is not in possession of an identity document (ID) or birth certificate, his or her age has to be verified by a medical professional. Offenders often reduce their ages in the hope that this would result in a lesser sentence. The DCS admitted that it needed to focus attention on managing age categories. At Leeuwkop although accommodated in separate cells, juveniles and children share meal and exercise time in the same courtyard as adult offenders. At least one child offender interviewed, reported that because of the fights targeting younger, more vulnerable offenders, he never spends exercise time outside of the cell.