The Caribbean Umbrella Body for Restorative Behaviour (CURB) is a Caribbean network of NGOs working to assist and support crime survivors, prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families. Click Here for a Flash file about CURB or visit our website to Find Out More.

Vote Now in Caribbean RJ Survey

In 2007, the findings contained in the report of the Jerry Lee Center of Criminology revealed that restorative justice processes have rated very high internationally in terms of victim satisfaction and have a collateral benefit in several instances to modify offender behaviour.

CURB would like to stimulate discussion in Trinidad and Tobago and other Caribbean jurisdictions as to the manner in which we in the region should implement restorative justice. Cast your vote in our Online RJ Survey on this important topic. Go to our Online Survey to cast your vote.

Search Caribbean RJ Directory!

Need to find a prison ministry or support service for crime survivors in the Caribbean? Then search the Caribbean RJ Resource Directory which lists various agencies which provide support to crime survivors, prisoners, ex-prisoners and their respective families.

Caribbean RJ Events Calendar

As our latest initiative, CURB also provides a Caribbean Restorative Justice Events Calendar at our website. This tool will help to network providers of crime victim support, offender support, restorative justice and therapeutic jurisprudence by allowing them to Add their events hosted in the Caribbean for FREE. The calendar is available online Here.

Caribbean RJ Audio Feed

And, for the first time, CURB is introducing an audio version of The Restorative Review for persons "on the go". You can listen to this newsletter or download an MP3 file or subscribe to a Podcast from the AudioFeed link on the Newsletter page of our website.

Stop Prison Abuse Blog

CURB is committed to maintaining momentum on treating with the issue of prison sexual assault and abuse and has now created a dedicated Stop Prison Abuse Blog.

Starting with this February 2008 issue, excerpts from this new blog will be included in our monthly newsletters together with news from the restorative justice and criminal justice reform fields. Audio versions of our Stop Prison Abuse project blog posts are available from the News page of the Stop Prison Abuse website.

Restorative Justice Week in Jamaica

Jamaica will observe its second annual Restorative Justice Week during the month of February 2008 with a series of activities in Kingston, Jamaica culminating with an international conference. The events span from 2nd February to 8th February 2008. More details and contact information are available on our RJ Events Calendar.

Community Focused Groups To Meet on 9th February

The February 2008 meeting of Community Focused Groups will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday 9th February 2008 at the St. John London Baptist Church, Pembroke Street, Port of Spain. CURB President, Adrian N. Alexander, will be sharing about the work of CURB and a restorative justice model of aftercare for ex-prisoners which promotes safer communities!

Admission is FREE! All are invited. Please call 652-1377 for more information and to confirm your attendance.

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Daughter of Slain Grenada PM Forgives Killers.

On Monday 31st December 2007, Nadia Bishop - daughter of slain Prime Minister Maurice Bishop - met with some of the persons convicted of her father's murder and the overthrow of his government in October 1983.

Among the persons with whom Miss Bishop met were former revolutionaries Bernard Coard, Selwyn Strachan, John Ventour, Liam James, Leon Cornwall, Dave Bartholomew, Caliste Bernard, Kamu McBarnett, and Ewart Layne.

In an address to the people of Grenada on New Year's Day, Miss Bishop described the 3 hour meeting as wonderful and warm, and explained that forgiveness and reconciliation were embraced and welcomed by all. She said that she surprisingly felt joy talking with them, and that she and the convicts mutually freed each other from the bond of negativity that has existed between them these past 24 years.

The best word Miss Bishop found to describe what happened in her meeting with her father's killers was "grace". She said that God’s grace was in the room and all felt it, and were blessed by its presence. Miss Bishop also had the chance to speak with Hudson Austin, and with Lester Redhead, who was recently released.

Commenting on the views expressed by many people that if forgiveness is offered, it must be conditional, Miss Bishop said that she cannot extend conditional forgiveness and called the people of Grenada to join in unconditional forgiveness that is not dependent upon anyone admitting responsibility for anything, nor a request that forgiveness be granted to them.

She revealed that each of the convicts with whom she spoke expressed his regret for the events of October 19th 1983 and extended a very sincere and heart felt apology to her and her family, and to the families of all of those who suffered losses on October 19th.

Miss Bishop said that it had taken her 24 years to arrive at the point of forgiving the killers of her father. She was deeply grateful to have lived long enough to experience the freedom of forgiveness so that so that when she dies it will be with a heart free of hatred, anger, resentment, bitterness and vengeance.

In a surprise move, Miss Bishop also asked for forgiveness on behalf of her slain father and apologized to all those who felt harmed by the Grenada Revolution and by her Father for the events which caused the overthrow of the Eric Gairy government in March 1979.

CURB joins with Miss Bishop in calling the people of Grenada and the wider Caribbean to a life of forgiveness and reconciliation so that our respective nations can experience the healing that we crave. Our histories are replete with hurt and anger from centuries of slavery and economic and other exploitation and racial tension.

As we enter a year of new beginnings, let us as a region move towards a lifestyle of admission of guilt and responsibility for our actions and those of our fore-parents and give and receive forgiveness and mercy for the sake of generations to come.

Bahamas Calls For Conflict Resolution Center.

Counselling Survivors and Perpetrators
Of Sexual Assault

Following the informative and life-changing training session - Introduction to Counselling Survivors and Perpetrators of Sexual Assault and Abuse - which was hosted by CURB during RJ Week 2007, we propose to host a second introductory training session followed by an Advanced Counselling programme during 2008.

Further details will be posted in our eNewsletter and on the Stop Prison Abuse website during the coming months.

Suicide Prompts Probe of BVI Prisons

In the British Virgin Islands, the recent apparent suicide of an inmate has led to the launch of an investigation into the operations at Her Majesty's Prison. Andrew Fahie, the minister with responsibility for prisons, pledged that proactive measures would be implemented forthwith to avoid such incidents as well as other incidents recurring... (Read More OR Listen).

Shocking Allegations of TCI Prison Abuse

Turks and Caicos Islands journalist, Gemma Handy, has penned an article arising out of an exclusive undercover investigation into Grand Turk Prison, including shocking allegations that inmates are being beaten, starved and physically and sexually abused... (Read More OR Listen).