KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Office of the Public Defender says it has initiated a wide-ranging investigation into the operation and effectiveness of Jamaica’s Sexual Offenders’ Registry.

The investigation follows growing public concern about the registry’s transparency, accessibility and its ability to safeguard vulnerable groups, particularly women and children.

Concern and outrage spiked with the murder of Kelsey Ferrigon, a nine-year-old student from Job Lane, St Catherine, who was found dead in a barrel outside her home.

Police theorise that the child had been sexually assaulted before her murder. The man suspected of killing her was reportedly on bail and had been booked on a sexual offence in the past.

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“The Office of the Public Defender has a duty to ensure that laws and public systems function as intended, without infringing on the constitutional rights of Jamaican citizens,” said Public Defender Carolyn Reid-Cameron. “This is not just a review of procedures—it is a holistic examination of how public safety tools must align with our constitution.”

Currently, access to the registry is limited to law enforcement, designated employers and persons with a proven “legitimate interest”. However, recent tragic incidents have prompted renewed scrutiny of whether such restrictions are achieving the registry’s intended purpose.

Reid-Cameron said the investigation will focus on three core areas:

Statutory compliance: Whether the registry has been implemented in accordance with the Sexual Offences Act, including resource allocation and procedural adherence;

Operational effectiveness: Whether the registry’s access and usage protocols are successfully protecting children and other at-risk groups; and

Constitutional balance: Whether the registry strikes an appropriate balance between individual privacy rights and the public’s right to safety, in line with the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.

The public defender said both the commissioner of corrections and the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Justice have been formally notified and are expected to support the inquiry.

The investigation will culminate in a final report that will be tabled in Parliament and made available to the public, subject to appropriate redactions for confidentiality and security.