Criminal Law : Sentencing: UPDATE: Jamaicans call for changes to sentencing schedule

The following article appeared on the Website of the Ministry of Justice :

JAMAICANS CALL FOR CHANGES TO SENTENCING SCHEDULE

Jamaicans attending the three justice reform consultations in Kingston, St. Ann and St. Thomas last evening (March 15) have advocated for more creative sentencing in order to achieve equity in the treatment of offenders and to reduce overcrowding in prisons. A recommendation was made from a member of the public for sentencing guidelines similar to what obtains in the United States of America to be introduced to the Jamaican Justice System. According to Mrs. Susan Reid-Jones, Project Advisor, Jamaicans feel that there was disparity in how persons were being sentenced for offences of a similar nature. “This is a matter that has been raised in just about every fora that we have held. People feel that there is need for greater consistency in sentencing”, she said.
Other concerns that were expressed in the consultations included overcrowding in cells and holding areas, improving access to legal aid, increasing the number of lawyers and their remuneration. Persons also raised the matter of how users of the court system were being treated by court staff and judges, arguing that judges should see themselves as providing a service to the public. Mrs. Reid-Jones said that there was general agreement that legal fees were too high and out of the reach of ordinary Jamaicans. She said that persons attending the consultations complained that lawyers do not attend Court until the entire legal fee has been paid.
Meanwhile, Project Manager of the Jamaican Justice Reform project, Mr. Peter Parchment, speaking on the importance of the consultations, said that the reform process was designed to engage a wide cross section of the Jamaican public in keeping with the principles and objectives of the Government’s Consultation Code and the need to ensure the credibility of the reform process. “We are using the process as an opportunity to empower the Jamaican people, improve their knowledge of the court and justice system and to ensure that the long-term development of justice service delivery reflects the views and responds to the needs and concerns of the Jamaican people. We understand that there are different perspectives on the direction of our justice system but we are confident that these consultations will result in consensus in some critical areas”, he said.
The justice reform project is expected to develop strategies and mechanisms to facilitate the modernization of the justice system to meet the current and future needs of Jamaicans. A final report on the consultations will be submitted to the national consultation which is scheduled for May this year.