The Criminal Justice System in Jamaica: The Need for an Open Evaluation

Abstract

The term criminal justice is dynamic and multi-faceted. It has several definitions as put forward by experts in the field of study that help in the understanding of the concept. Criminal justice can be defined as principles and procedures for developing, administering, and managing correctional law enforcement and forensic services. It becomes clear that criminal justice would demand the apprehension and punishment of law violators. The aim of criminal justice in any society is to provide a safe environment in which citizens can lead their lives without fear that they or their property will be threatened. Crime is a central concern in most civil societies. In the Jamaican, Constitution, the Fundamental Rights section can be suspended by a special act of Parliament for a specified period such as the state of emergency imposed on the country following the passage of Hurricane Ivan in 2004. There has been much dissatisfaction with the fact that the Constitution seems to give rights to the people but limit them or, in some cases, even take them away under certain circumstances. Using Jamaica as a pervasive example, one of the main features of the Jamaican crime scene is violence and as such the Jamaican criminal justice system, especially the arm that consists of police officers, responds with equal amounts or even more aggressive violence. As a means of dealing with the constantly rising crime problem, the Jamaican criminal justice system often employs the concept of “fight fire with fire”. As a result, criminal justice in Jamaica is immensely flawed. If justice means the fair, moral, and impartial treatment of all under the law, then it is safe to say that the Jamaican criminal justice system lacks justice; it is the most important component. More often than not, the civil rights and liberties of many individuals are disregarded in an attempt to rid the Jamaican streets of crime and violence. Persons believed to be participants in criminal activities are poorly treated and at times dehumanized. The average inner-city citizen complains of police brutality in Jamaica almost daily.