Rule of law assessment report in response to : USAID/Jamaica monitoring, evaluation, and learning support for the Caribbean Basin security initiative

The purpose of the assessment is to gain a deeper understanding of the ROL sector and opportunities and to help USAID identify avenues of cooperation among ROL stakeholders for USAID’s future programming. The ROL sector in Jamaica is characterized by the long-standing challenge of combating and reducing violent crimes, particularly the high rate of homicides. The government’s response to violent crimes relies increasingly on enhanced security measures but efforts to bring criminal gangs to justice are hindered by the lack of capacity to investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate violent crimes. As a result, conviction rates remain low, and recidivism is high. Absent reforms, gang activity and youth criminality remain attractive alternatives for unattached youths and pose a serious challenge to the ROL sector. Existing policies are well developed and many government and donor-supported efforts to improve the cooperation between state and non-state ROL actors are underway. Nonetheless, many Jamaican citizens and violence victims have unmet justice needs resulting from an inefficient and poorly resourced justice sector. The lack of legal awareness about rights and legal protections, unaffordable costs to access the formal justice system, unfavorable treatment by justice institutions, prolonged detention without charges, and the lack of respect for victims’ rights are key challenges for justice seekers. Opportunities for future USAID ROL programming include (1) strengthening the prosecution and adjudication of violent crimes, (2) enhancing violence prevention through longer-term social interventions, (3) increasing access to justice for underserved communities through peoplecentered justice initiatives, and (4) strengthening victim-centered support services.