Justice Training Institute Revamping Lay Magistrates Court Programme

Director and Principal of the Justice Training Institute (JTI), Karen Campbell-Bascoe, says the institution’s Lay Magistrates court programme offered to Justices of the Peace (JPs) is being revamped.

“The programme is currently on a break, and since June 2019, we have been restructuring the programme to adequately train JPs who are willing to serve as Lay Magistrates in the court. We hope to resume the programme by January 2020,” she told JIS News.

Mrs. Campbell-Bascoe indicated that part of the revamping exercise includes training the trainers who facilitate the programme, noting that “we want to outfit them with the best skills and practice”.

“We are moving away from having just one trainer, to having multiple trainers, who teach various components of the programme. We will also be incorporating ‘care-facilitators’… . These are Lay Magistrates who have been serving for several years, and [we] will draw on their experiences to train JPs,” she added.

Mrs. Campbell-Bascoe indicated that the 36-hour-long training course for JPs, which spans several days and entails a graded assessment, will now be delivered in modules.

The Justice Training Institute is responsible for training Justices of the Peace to effectively carry out their duties, which include serving in the Lay Magistrates’ Courts.

“[These] individuals play an integral role in the justice system, so it is necessary for us to ensure that they are well trained to carry out this function,” Mrs. Campbell-Bascoe pointed out.

She informed that JPs are rostered to serve at least once per month in the Parish Courts, adding that three JPs are required to preside over a matter.

This, the Director said, is resulting in a notable reduction in caseload, thereby enhancing the overall judicial system’s efficiency and service delivery.