KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Ministry of Justice announced that there will be a major sensitisation drive with all its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) programmes, offered free of cost to the public.

ADR programmes are designed for workplaces to quickly resolve issues and are an opportunity for confidential problem solving within the work environment.

The programmes include restorative justice, child diversion programme and mediation.

Portfolio Minister, Delroy Chuck, made the disclosure during the sitting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

He outlined that in addition to the success in restorative justice matters, the victim services division has counselled 13,674 new and follow-up clients for the period January to December 2021.

For the period January to July 2022, a total of 8,025 new and follow-up clients have been seen.

“The child diversion programme is steadily picking up steam and we continue to encourage the Courts and the police to refer children to the programme,” he said.

“We have excellent treatment plans for the children in the programme, administered by over 23 of the best counselling and clinical psychologists across the island,” he added.

The ministry is also conducting training to increase the number of restorative justice facilitators in order for every parish to have trained personnel in the field.

In addition to that, Chuck indicated that the training will also provide the opportunity for these upcoming restorative justice facilitators to be well equipped for restorative justice circles.

Restorative justice circles are the mechanisms that enable parties to meet and settle their conflicts.

“It is important that restorative justice should be available in every corner of Jamaica and this successful mechanism should not only be known but should be utilised,” he said.

“Amazingly, while we have not been able to fully educate Jamaicans about restorative justice, other countries are aware of the success of our programme,” he underscored.

Chuck also stated that Indonesia, Nigeria, Australia and a few other countries have been in dialogue with Jamaica about the programme, noting that Indonesia proposes to send a 15-member delegation to Jamaica to get a first-hand look at the country’s ADR programme.

– JIS