BARBADOS / ST LUCIA – Caribbean countries battling overwhelming backlogs of cases are being offered relief through the use of alternate dispute resolution. In a significant move to address the growing backlog of criminal cases in the Caribbean, the PACE Justice Project – implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with funding from the European Union – handed over a victim-offender mediation (V-OM) toolkit to the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) on 30 May in Saint Lucia, which contained practical guidance on introducing V-OM across its jurisdictions, with the invitation for other countries to also utilize the manual.
V-OM is a voluntary process that encourages direct communication between victims and offenders, where they meet in a safe environment facilitated by a professional to communicate openly and work toward a resolution. This method aims to redirect suitable cases away from the formal court system, thereby easing the burden on the justice system while fostering better outcomes for both victims and offenders.
This work is embedded in the wider UNDP agenda on criminal justice reform in the Caribbean, underpinned by PACE Justice, which focuses on reducing criminal case backlogs by improving institutional capacities, enhancing inter-agency coordination, strengthening the legislative and regulatory environment and catalyzing digital innovation across the justice sector. Jairo Acuña-Alfaro, Team Leader of Governance at UNDP Latin America and the Caribbean, called the toolkit “one of a kind”, and suggested it can directly aid in the rehabilitation of at-risk youth.
“We have identified that there are major bottlenecks in the criminal justice chain in the Caribbean region, and this new V-OM toolkit can help us alleviate and offer alternatives to the population,” he asserted. “The more that we can divert cases in the criminal justice system, the more we can reduce bottlenecks, and the more opportunities that we are giving the citizens… There are many youngsters that get trapped in that process and we need to give them alternatives to develop [a better] quality of life and contribute to development of the country.”
The ECSC as a strategic partner will be the custodian of the toolkit, incorporating it into their institutional resources to enhance national capacities and support the entire Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Her Ladyship, Margaret Price Findlay, Chief Justice (Ag.) of the ECSC, acknowledged that the court is facing increasing pressure from rising caseloads, and recognised the V-OM toolkit as a practical solution for this.
“Our acceptance of the V-OM toolkit represents a significant step towards embedding restorative justice into the heart of our criminal justice system,” she remarked. “The ECSC welcomes this toolkit not merely as a manual, but as a manifestation of a unified vision that aligns strongly with the objectives of the Needham’s Point Declaration. We recognise the urgent need to alleviate case backlogs, promote meaningful dialogue and rehabilitation, and restore agency and dignity to victims.
Restorative justice – when done well – accomplishes all these things and mediation, as outlined in this toolkit, offers us a path forward… It offers a way to resolve matters early, appropriately and with lasting outcomes.”
The toolkit is based on best practices drawn from a pilot project initiated under the UNDP initiative “Breaking the Bottlenecks: Victim-Offender Mediation (V-OM) as a Criminal Justice Tool”, which successfully implemented the use of V-OM to divert appropriate cases in Saint Lucia and Belize away from the formal court proceedings, thereby improving justice outcomes for both victims and offenders.
This initiative supports Sustainable Development Goal 16, which advocates for Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
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