Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter

Partners involved in spreading the culture of restorative justice are reporting success in sensitising members of the public.

Restorative justice is a process in which victims and community members are involved in mediation, trials and even sentencing of offenders. One such partner is the Dispute Resolution Foundation, which for more than 12 years has made restorative justice a part of its programmes.

Donna Parchment, chief executive officer of the foundation, said the agency has trained and exposed hundreds of persons including teachers, police officers, judges, members of the church and young persons to the programme.

Reconciliation

She said under this thrust, persons are encouraged to look at the legal wrong that has been done but also encouraged to deal with the issue by focusing less on the wrong and more on how the harm can be appeased.

Dr. Grace Kelly, chair of the Department of Behavioural Sciences at the Northern Caribbean University said that the Community, Counselling and Restorative Justice Centre, which was established in Mandeville three years ago in collaboration with the Ministries of Justice and National Security, has been doing a tremendous job.

She said the centre has a victim support unit, counselling centre and houses a branch of the centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse. She noted that early this year, the centre completed 3,000 sessions which have had an impact on crime in that parish.

Dr. Kelly said the Government was hoping to have other centres in other communities such as Spanish Town in St. Catherine, Mount Salem in St. James and May Pen, Clarendon.

Michael Cohen, senior public relations officer in the ministry of Justice, said the ministry's restorative justice sensitisation programme in schools and with Justices of the Peace has also been well received.