Criminal Justice Reform: Achieving a Modern Criminal Justice System

On 20 October 2023, the CCJ Academy for Law (the Academy) adopted the Needham’s Point Declaration in Bridgetown, Barbados, providing a comprehensive roadmap to modernize criminal justice systems, improve efficiency, and ensure victim-centered approaches across the Caribbean.

Over the past two years, the Declaration has made a tangible impact:

• Judicial Influence: Cited in over 70 cases across Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Guyana, and Trinidad & Tobago
• Legislative Reform: Countries have implemented judge-alone trials, plea bargaining frameworks, rehabilitative legislation, and sentencing guidelines
• Victim/Survivor Support: Establishment of Criminal Injuries Compensation Boards and restorative justice initiatives
• Regional Collaboration: Monitoring, Evaluating and Facilitating Committees, along with digital dashboards, track progress and encourage cooperation among jurisdictions

As the two-year implementation milestone concludes, the Declaration’s recommendations continue to guide reforms, influence policy, and inspire change across the region.

This video highlights some of the progress and key achievements of the Declaration over the past two years.

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