Legal system refines community service

The Magistrate Courts countrywide are on a go-slow for the next two days, but it does not mean that criminals are free to do as they please. Instead, the men and women who manage the country’s busiest halls of justice are sharpening their knowledge of a new initiative aimed squarely at keeping some of those who run afoul of the law out of Hattieville prison. The conference, which ends on Friday evening, is discussing the revamped Alternative to Custody programme, which, by law, gives Magistrates the power to sentence first time non-violent offenders and deadbeat dads to community service instead of incarceration. Director of the Community Rehabilitation Department, Fermin Olivera, says the programme should not be seen as a slap on the wrist for criminals.

Fermin Olivera, Dir., Community Rehabilitation Dept.

“We believe that is the clientele that we can best serve and that can help us tremendously in reducing recidivism, reducing the number of people that are incarcerated in institutions, while giving us the best opportunities to really rehabilitate them.”

Patrick Jones

“Instead of sending them out to Hattieville, what will these people be doing, these offenders?”

Fermin Olivera

“Well there is a variety of things that they can be involved in: working along with non-government agencies or government agencies, serving as a means of support, undertaking meaningful work, along with the possibilities of them receiving help, not only from the agencies, but from the department and other services that we will bring around these defendants to help their development… In our recent history it had a very bad result; it just didn’t work. It didn’t work because there was not a mechanism to be able to implement and supervise people that were placed on community service. Today that is not the case, the community Rehabilitation Department is that machinery that came about from legislation, to be able to implement and to develop this Alternative to Custody programme.”

Over seventy people, including Magistrates, prosecutors, heads of police formations and community workers are attending the conference at the Radisson. Facilitator is Canon Philip Wright of the Anglican Church. The Alternative to Sentencing programme is being implemented by a Community Rehabilitation Department with assistance from the Untied Nations Children’s Fund.