$270 Million Allocated to Citizen Security and Justice Programme

The Government has allocated $270.015 million for the Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP) III.

This is outlined in the 2018/19 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives.

The programme seeks to enhance security and justice in targeted communities through gender-responsive justice services.

For the new fiscal year, the Victim Services Division is expected to identify and retrofit areas to accommodate victim services, provide emergency assistance grants to 50 beneficiaries, assist 110 children exposed to violence and trauma with counselling interventions, and facilitate special therapy sessions with 30 sexually abused children.

The programme is also expected to train 65 court officials, police officers, and other first responders; and implement special intervention programmes to support the findings from the West Kingston Inquiry.

Also, the Legal Aid Council is expected to train 250 police officers and justices of the peace on legal aid issues and continue consultations in CSJP communities via the mobile unit.

The Justice Training Institute is expected to conduct qualifying and advanced training for justices of the peace; and provide training for justices of the peace in mediation, court petty sessions and new legislation and policies.

There are also plans to conduct training workshops for restorative justice facilitators and volunteers, and facilitate 18 restorative justice cases per quarter.

The programme is also expected to conduct training workshops in Child Diversion Practices.

In terms of achievements, the Victim Services Division has provided emergency assistance support to 71 victims, provided trauma and grief therapy sessions to 226 children, provided therapy sessions on abuse to 97 teens, and conducted school-based intervention workshops with 94 beneficiaries.

The Legal Aid Council has trained 282 police officers and justices of the peace on legal aid issues, and expanded service operations with the mobile unit.

The Justice Training Institute provided qualifying basic training to 881 justices of the peace, and 35 justices of the peace trained and qualified to practise in the parish of St. Andrew.

In addition, the programme continued operation in nine Restorative Justice Centres; provided training to volunteers and school administrators in community justice services; hosted 357 community sensitisation workshops; and facilitated 180 restorative justice cases, of which 148 were finalised.

The project is funded by the Government of Jamaica; Global Affairs Canada; Inter-American Development Bank (IDB); and the Department for International Development (DFID).