The Caribbean Umbrella Body for Restorative Behaviour (CURB) is the first and only Caribbean network of NGOs working to assist and support crime survivors, prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families... Find Out More

CURB Officers Participate in Trauma Loss Healing Workshop

On Sunday 28th January, 2007 CURB officers, Michelle Aigle and Carla Soverall took part in a novel workshop on Healing from Trauma and Loss conducted by Dr. Greenwald of the USA.

The one day workshop was geared to assist persons to overcome personal trauma occasioned in early life and will be followed by another session on Saturday 10th March 2007.

For further information, please Contact Rev. Ruth Greaves at (868)652-1377.

REACH'N Inc. Launched

On Saturday January 13, 2007 an NGO affiliated with CURB held its official launch at the Lions Civic Centre in Port of Spain.

The group, known as REACH'N Inc. comprises persons who began prison ministry under Prison Fellowship Trinidad and Tobago several years ago. The group seeks to provide a support base for inmates, their familes, victims and at-risk youth.

Community Focused Groups To Meet on Feb. 3

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• In the R.J. Spotlight
• DNA Laws Coming For TT
• Judges Reminded To Consider State of Prisons
• UK Inspector of Prisons Confirms Prison Crisis
• New Rehab Centre for Ex-Prisoners
• Increased Concern for Child Witnesses of Homicide
• Jamaican Communities Recognised for Promoting Peace
• And Much More Caribbean R.J. News!

International Seminar on Restorative Justice

In an concerted effort to promote the integration of restorative justice into the criminal justice system, the Ministry of Justice in Jamaica is staging of an international conference from January 19 to February 8, 2007.

The Ministry has partnered with the Department of Behavioural Science at the Northern Caribbean University (NCU) to stage the conference under the theme: "Restorative Justice: Toward Nation Building and Governance".

International practitioners of restorative justice have been invited to attend. Among them are Dr. John Bailie and Ted Wachtel of the International Institute of Restorative Justice.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Ms. Carol Palmer, stated that the objectives of the 21-day event was to help to build the capacity of the nation to implement restorative justice programmes in a more concrete way and also to "assist our citizens who are in pain, because of the various hurts they have experienced, to go through some healing, and to move on".

Chair of the Department of Behavioural Science at NCU, Dr. Grace Kelly, explained that the conference would achieve its objectives through the staging of training seminars, which would target "schools and the education system; children families, and community systems; victims and the justice system; offenders and the security system; guidance counsellors, social workers and other service providers; the church community and corporate Jamaica".

According to Dr. Kelly, the 21 days would represent a period of national grieving and healing, involving identifying and taking steps to repair harm. This, she informed, would be done through a national public education thrust on the grieving process, using a variety of presentations, seminars, workshops, interviews, and newspaper articles through various media.

As a part of the conference agenda, a series of church services were held on January 20, 21, 27 and 28, in the selected areas of Montego Bay, May Pen, Portland and Spanish Town, respectively. The services will culminate with a national atonement service in Kingston on February 3.

Mrs. Palmer, who elaborated on the atonement service, pointed out that it would be "the beginning of a process of forgiveness and healing for the Jamaican society, creating an attitude where we stop seeking for revenge and minimize if not eliminate reprisals in our society. It will not necessarily be a cure all . but if a church service reaches one citizen, it is a good purpose that has been served".

Organisations that have endorsed the event and will be lending their support through participation include the Dispute Resolution Foundation, the Justice Training Institute, the Mandeville Counselling and Restorative Justice Centre, and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

Trinidad and Tobago will soon have legislation which will give the police power to take DNA samples from suspects of crime.

The Bill was tabled in the Parliament by Minister in the Ministry of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds recently, as he referred to the Morvant massacre of WPC Elizabeth Sutherland, her husband, daughter and friend, and also the kidnapping of businesswoman Vindra Naipaul-Coolman....Read Full Article

In an apparent effort to clear the air after a series of criticisms from the public, the UK Lord Chief Justice Lord Phillips said John Reid was not instructing judges to stop imposing prison terms but rather...Read Full Article

Recently, the Chief Insector of UK Prisons released a report which warned that the jail system is in "serious crisis" with overcrowding affecting rehabilitation of offenders...Read Full Article

The long awaited Anthony Pantin Centre - a reintegration facility for ex-prisoners - is scheduled to be launched in mid-June 2007.

The announcement was made recently at Archbishop's House in Port of Spain by Catholic Prison Chaplain...Read Full Article

During the month of January, children have been recorded as witnesses of bloody homicides in the Morvant and Cascade districts of Trinidad and Tobago.

Similar incidents occurred in Jamaica where a survey on the impact of violence on children has found that 80 per cent of them had witnessed five to eight murders or had known five to eight murder victims... Read Full Article

Eighteen inner-city communities in Jamaica recently received government recognition for their achievements in securing peace and community development.

The recognition was received for their work under the Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP) and the Community Security Initiative (CSI), projects of the Ministry of National Security... Read Full Article