Ministry Of Justice Committed To Serving Children

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 protect the interests of children.

“The Ministry is child-friendly. A lot of times when we think about justice and justice services in Jamaica the subject matter may come across as being quite heavy and not particularly focused on children. But we want to remind the public and reassure them that the Ministry of Justice caters to the entire population and, more so now in Child Month, we are putting special emphasis on our children. As such, it is not that we are providing these services just in Child Month, but the highlight would be on our children. These services are available all year and they are free of cost,” she said.

These services include the National Child Diversion Programme, Victim Services Division, Administrator General’s Department and Restorative Justice Programme.

“[There is the] National Child Diversion Programme, which will prevent children – if certain offences are committed as stipulated by the Act that governs the programme – from having to go through the regular court system. This programme rehabilitates our children, so that they can make meaningful contributions to society,” Ms. Palmer explained.

The Child Diversion Programme targets youth in conflict with the law (ages 12 to 17) by providing positive alternatives that promote rehabilitation and reintegration into their communities.

This programme helps youth by assessing their situation and then using a combination of approved methods to get that child back on track.

The Victim Services Division also has programmes specifically tailored for children.

“These programmes target children who are the victims of crime, through specific interventions, helping them with the court system in terms of orientation and what to expect when they go to court. We also have our Restorative Justice (RJ) Programme… where we treat with children through our schools. So, what happens is that our school administrators receive training, and as is needed, we can refer children to RJ,” Ms. Palmer said.

Rounding out the core Child Justice Services offered by the Ministry is the work of the Administrator General’s Department (AGD), which deals with the administration of estates.

“For parents who die without leaving a will, the Ministry provides support to children by ensuring that the estate that has been left behind is administered fairly in the interest of the child. Since the AGD is aware of the situation, we remind persons that where a person has died intestate, that is without a will, contact the AGD as soon as possible, especially if minors are involved,” Ms. Palmer advised.