Social Justice Division Delivers Healing Hat-Trick

The New Social Justice Division within the Justice Ministry has been working to deliver healing and create a culture of peace by increasing access to Alternative Justice Services (AJS).

The Division is a one-stop shop, housing three critical branches of the Ministry, namely Restorative Justice (RJ), Child Diversion and Victim Services, which members of the public can access free of cost.

Speaking at a JIS Think Tank on Tuesday (August 15), Principal Director of the Division, Jamie-Ann Chevannes, said that having the three branches under one umbrella allows the Ministry to be more effective in the execution of its programmes.

This means that the Ministry will be better able to meet the needs of clients who seek the services of the Division.

“It allows us to have a more targeted approach in communities and to work together in a more meaningful way. The Ministry had three distinct programmes that were being delivered and it was thought that combining them under one umbrella would ensure that they have the reach and the visibility, so that citizens would know how to access these services,” Ms. Chevannes said.

She noted, for example, that “there may be a referral from the courts for RJ and in the process of having a conference or even in the pre-sessions, the officer may pick up that there may have been a prior occurrence… where the now offender was the victim”.

“That victim, who is now the offender, may be carrying some trauma and is now acting out. So, even though we are now dealing with one specific instance that has been referred by the court, that individual may need further care through Victim Services, and having everyone working together makes the process for referrals and further care of our citizens [more effective],” she said.

Operationalised in March of 2023, the Social Justice Division is not only another avenue outside of the courts for persons to access justice but also aims to provide healing and true resolution for victims, offenders, communities and organisations affected by conflict.

It seeks to ensure that the principles of social justice obtain, which are, for citizens to be able to participate in a system that is equitable in the delivery of justice, that the human rights of citizens are observed, and that there is diversity in the justice system as well as effective accessibility.

“The view, as well, is for persons to work on their development, to ensure that [offenders] are rehabilitated and victims as well as offenders are able to get the necessary psychosocial support that they need to be productive citizens within our society,” Ms. Chevannes added.

The work of the Child Diversion Branch centres on steering children away from the justice system through referrals from the court or Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

Successful completion of this rehabilitative process involves the acceptance of responsibility for actions without the stigma of a record that could inhibit the future development of the child.

Victim Services, which can be accessed through self-referrals, provides critical counselling support for persons who are primary, secondary and tertiary victims of crime and violence.

Restorative Justice (RJ) seeks to resolve conflicts by having all parties involved come together to reach an agreement.

Details on how persons can access the services of the Social Justice Division are available on the Ministry’s website at moj.gov.jm, by calling 888 JUSTICE (888-587-8423), or by visiting any Ministry of Justice office or RJ Centre across the island.