-says this approach will reduce crime, prison overcrowding

ACTING Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken, has called on his ranks to adopt restorative justice practices as part of ongoing efforts to address overpopulation in the prisons and combat rising crime rates especially among juveniles.

Speaking at the Restorative Justice Awareness Training held on Tuesday at the Officers’ Training Centre, Hicken stressed the urgent need for a more effective and sustainable solution to these challenges.

Highlighting the potential of restorative justice in Guyana, he explained that this approach could significantly impact the justice system by providing an alternative to imprisonment for individuals accused of minor, non-violent offences.

He said that it will reduce recidivism and help keep out those individuals who ought not to be in prison.

By emphasising the importance of community involvement and dialogue, restorative justice addresses the underlying causes of criminal behaviour, rather than just punishing offenders.

He alluded further that restorative justice practices offer an opportunity for offenders to take responsibility for their actions, make amends to victims, and reintegrate into society as productive citizens. By diverting individuals away from the traditional punitive model, he argued that the country could break the cycle of crime and reduce the burden on the prison system.

“As a nation, we must adopt an alternative approach that addresses the dehumanization frequently experienced by people in our justice system. As we must focus on healing and accountability, we must find an approach that requires more engagement from stakeholders’ integration and must implement alternative punishment and imprisonment,” Hicken said.

Against this backdrop, he pointed out that restorative justice offers a “genuine opportunity” to repair the harm caused by criminal behaviour.

“Indeed, restorative justice is not just the solution for the social problems but is based on international best practices. It is what is needed to beat contemporary crime. Restorative justice has proven victim satisfaction and offender accountability and also presents or prevents re-offending since victims feel they are treated more fairly,” he said.

The acting commissioner said that its time for officers to adopt and embrace restorative justice practices for a paradigm shift in criminal justice.

He added that the GPF has historically faced numerous challenges in tackling crime, with overpopulation in prisons being a persistent issue. However, to curb this, the GPF has implemented several restorative justice practices such as community intervention to identify the root cause of criminal behaviours especially among the youth.

He added that the GPF has collaborated with other ministries for diversion programmes for youth and adults involved in minor offences. Police officers are also being trained in areas such as public management, stress management and policing partnerships.

“This alternative framework offers resolution conflict and prevention. It seeks to address the question of making things right. So as a nation with a common goal, let’s make things right by resolving the current societal problem that drives fear and selfishness,” Hicken said.

In closing, the Police Commissioner charged his officers to embrace restorative justice since they are the first “point of contact” in the criminal justice system.
In April, the Restorative Justice Centre was launched with the aim to repair the harm caused by criminal behaviour, particularly among juveniles, by bringing together the victim, offender, and community to find a way forward that promotes healing, accountability, and understanding.

The approach is based on the belief that justice can be served in a way that promotes healing and accountability while addressing the underlying causes of criminal behaviour and reducing recidivism.

Retired Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud, is the director of the centre, which is staffed by trained professionals who will work with victims, offenders, and their communities to develop individualised plans that focus on repairing the harm caused by criminal behaviour and preventing further offences. Teachers, police-community members, and religious leaders are also benefitting from this training.