The Legal Aid (Fees) (Validation and Indemnification) Act 2021 was passed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (June 22). The Bill seeks to validate the payments made to attorneys-at-law who provided legal-aid services in the R v Uchence Wilson and Others trial, as well as the R v Carlington Godfrey and Others trial. In piloting the legislation, Minister of...

The House of Representatives on Tuesday (June 22), passed the Extradition (Amendment) Bill, 2021. The rationale for the amendments came out of concerns expressed by the United States State Department on the difficulty in acquiring the affidavits of victims, particularly in cases of lotto scamming and fraud, in extradition proceedings. “This is so because a number of the persons that...

Chief Justice, Bryan Sykes, has welcomed the investment by the Universal Service Fund (USF) in boosting the information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure of the courts, as a further step towards enhancing access to justice for Jamaicans. He said that equipping courts with the necessary technology, coupled with the training of staff, will improve the efficiency of courtroom proceedings. “COVID-19...

The Victim Services Division (VSD) is slated to reach more than a thousand Jamaicans through virtual sensitisation efforts on matters relating to Child Abuse and Domestic Violence. Special emphasis is being placed on highlighting the vulnerability of persons who become victims of abuse and crime during childhood, as a form of preventative action. Executive Director of the VSD, Osbourne Bailey,...

The Ministry of Justice is using animation to offer therapeutic intervention to children who are victims of crime. On Friday (May 28), the Ministry, through the Victim Services Division (VSD), launched an animation bundle comprising eight short films, each  approximately one to three minutes in length, that provide critical lessons to help children cope with violence and life-changing trauma. They were...

The Ministry of Justice has reiterated its commitment to providing access to justice for all Jamaicans, including children. Identified as a vulnerable group, children can benefit from the Ministry’s Child Justice Services from various programmes and initiatives. Director of Public Relations and Communications at the Justice Ministry, Shari-Ann Palmer, told JIS News that at the core, these services help to...

The Victim Services Division (VSD) is strengthening its preventative approach to support provided for children who are victims of crime. The Division supports the Ministry’s mandate of providing social justice services to Jamaicans through delivering psychosocial support for victims of crime as well as advancing efforts that promote victims’ rights. With special emphasis being placed on not just providing support...