Restorative Justice Conference Target Surpassed in 2022/23

For the 2022/2023 financial year, more than 100 per cent of the projected restorative justice conferences were completed.

“The conferences also had a success rate of 79 per cent, with the remaining 21 per cent reaching partial agreements in some instances, while some matters remained unresolved and returned to the referral agents for resolution,” Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, said.

He stated that the data show that restorative justice is “an overwhelming success”.

The Minister was making his contribution to the 2023/24 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives, on May 2.

Mr. Chuck noted that restorative justice has proven to be an effective tool for healing broken relationships. He said the work of the Restorative Justice Programme is to resolve conflicts and restore peace within homes, schools, communities, and the wider society.

Frequent matters referred to the programme include family disputes, assaults, malicious destruction of property, and larceny.

Minister Chuck also mentioned that the Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education and Youth during the last financial year to introduce restorative practices in the schools.

The Ministry also signed Memoranda of Understanding with 14 denominational groups that represent more than 3,000 churches.

“We have trained over 1,000 persons and, recently, we did refresher training and commissioning of an additional 150 restorative justice facilitators,” Mr. Chuck said.

He noted that this will “make sure that right across Jamaica, if there are families, parties in dispute, they can get a facilitator to assist them to heal”.