Jamaicans Encouraged to Become Restorative Justice Facilitators

The Restorative Justice (RJ) Branch in the Ministry of Justice is encouraging Jamaicans of reputable character with a passion for nation-building to sign up to become RJ facilitators.

Restorative justice seeks to resolve conflicts by having all parties involved in a matter come together to reach an agreement.

The aim is to repair the harm caused by the offence, holding the offender accountable in a more meaningful way, and reintegrate them into the community to achieve a sense of healing for all parties.

Director of the RJ Branch, Joanalee Robertson, who made the appeal, told a JIS Think Tank on Monday (January 29), that becoming an RJ facilitator is an opportunity for persons who want to see a change in the trajectory of Jamaica’s crime landscape to play their part.

“Partner with us. Sign up to be a restorative justice facilitator. We offer the training, and we allow individuals you know to get the space in which they can grow, and they can settle in their roles successfully to facilitate the difficult discussions and dialogues among our clients. It doesn’t matter where we live, it doesn’t matter who we are, and it doesn’t matter the spaces that we occupy. We have a responsibility to ensure that our country or society is one that is secure, peaceful and just,” she said.

The Branch Director added that the recruitment efforts are constantly in progress to boost its numbers, having trained some 8,000 RJ facilitators as at the end of 2023.

“We are always looking forward to increasing our numbers in training. So, we’re hoping that this year we will be able to double our efforts to exceed the target,” Mrs. Robertson informed.

To be trained as an RJ facilitator, persons must be at least 18 years of age, of a reputable character and have a demonstrable passion for serving community development.

“We invite those persons to apply. We do our background checks and then we do our interviews and from there the people are trained. In terms of restorative practices, similarly, children, youth, parents, teachers, and professionals in any capacity, in any space, they, too, can benefit from restorative practices,” Mrs. Robertson said.

She noted that restorative justice practices are focused on creating and maintaining healthy relationships.

For more information on how to apply to become a restorative justice facilitator or how to access the services of the RJ Branch, persons can contact the Ministry of Justice toll-free at 888-JUSTICE (888-587-8423) or visit their website at www.moj.gov.jm.