THE JAMAICA ACTION PARTY
J A P
THE FOUNDATION
We believe that the primary purpose of the government is to provide a safe, secure environment and a just society for all the people of
Jamaica. This will form the foundation of the policies of a JAP government and will take priority over all other obligations. To achieve this,
the following steps will be taken.
Security
The best deterrent to persons who would consider committing a crime is the knowledge that it is very likely that they will be caught,
adequately punished and be made to pay restitution to the victim or their family. This can only be achieved with the citizens and police
having confidence in each other, working closely and cooperating with each other. As such the following steps will be taken.
1. Policies
(a) The public-relation arm of the police force will be significantly strengthened.
(b) The police force will be remodelled as a service and enforcement organization.
(c) Great emphasis will be placed on community policing.
(d) Activation of the neighborhood watch programme in all communities.
(e) A totally independent body with adequate resources to investigate all shootings and any questionable actions of the police,
soldiers and prison employees.
(f) A special ‘ A’ team of police detectives with adequate resources drawn from the very best within the force to investigate threats or
attacks on members of our security forces, judges, members of the prosecution team, jurors, witnesses, civil servants and political
leaders where it is thought that these threats or attack is related to the performance of their duty. This team will also include
persons to provide security services for any of these persons in need of it.
(g) Recruitment of more District Constables to work in their community.
(h) The use of very attractive rewards to obtain information.
(i) Proper zoning and establishment of a postal code in order to identify each parcel of land so that it can easily be found by first
responders.
(j) Encourage and provide safe avenues for persons to give information to the police.
(k) The police and the department of public prosecution (DPP) department working much closer together with DPP personnel visiting
scene of crime and being involved during
investigation instead of just getting involved after the investigations are completed by the police to prosecute the case.
2. Policing
(a) Efforts to boost the morale of the police by providing better working conditions.
(b) The provision of training and adequate resources on an ongoing basis for the police force to include personal gears, weapons,
vehicles and technological needs.
(c) Greater emphasis on rights and responsibility of both the police and the citizens. This will include an intensive programme to
educate citizens on what their rights are so that they will be aware when they are breached and so can seek redress.
(d) Working smarter and more effectively to prevent and solve crimes.
(e) The reorganization of the police force to function more as a service organization instead of just enforcement.
(f) We will seek to cut back on the use of the army in patrol and limit it to occasions where their help is necessary.
3. Citizenry
(a) The citizens will be educated on safety measures and encourage to take steps to prevent them self from becoming a victim of crime.
(b) Citizens in communities will be encourage to get to know each other and socialise through events such as 'block parties and
cooperate with each other in the neighbourhood watch programme.
4. Legislations
The various legislations needed to enable the police to be effective in their work while protecting the rights of the citizens will be
enacted within the shortest possible time. At the same time existing laws which are controversial will be look at with a view to change if
they are deemed as unfair.
Justice
The Criminal and civil justice courts will receive substantial attention and resources so as to make them easily accessible, quick and fair.
The present state of the justice system is of grave concern to all as there is a great backlog of cases in both the criminal and civil courts,
most of which dates back many years. Systems will be put in place to clear the backlog of cases wile keeping new case current.
Criminal Justice
Jurors will be selected from a list of all persons over the age of eighteen, except for those in the restricted categories, so as to have a
sufficient pool of jurors for selection at trials. The public will be educated as to the need to serve as jurors so that they will give their
service willingly instead of doing so because of the fear of penalties.. The penalties for the various offences will be studied with a view of
increasing or decreasing them to reflect the gravity of the offence. More flexible sentencing options will be implemented thus giving the
judge a wider option and more discretion in sentencing having taken into consideration the sentencing recommendation of the
prosecutors and the circumstances of the crime. The prosecution will now have the right to appeal the sentence if it vary greatly from
their recommendation and is deemed to be too lenient or excessive. Measures will be put in place to eliminate repeat postponements of
trials and have them completed in a timely manner. More emphasis will be placed on giving non custodial sentences for offences where
the offender is not a repeat offender or is deemed a threat to anyone.
Civil Justice
Civil Justice will be a major plank of the JAP. Many conflicts develop and escalate because the party being wronged is unable to stop the
action or to get redress in a timely manner. At the same time the perpetrator is comfortable in the knowledge that there is very little that
the other person can do legally to stop them and so continue their action. Offenders will now find that in addition to facing criminal
penalties, they will also have to contend with civil suit which may leave them broke or in debt for a very long time. Persons who have
been wronged, injured or whose rights have been violated in any way will easily have the opportunity and will be encouraged to seek
redress in the civil court.
We believe that the primary purpose of the government is to provide a safe, secure environment and a just society for all the people of
Jamaica. This will form the foundation of the policies of a JAP government and will take priority over all other obligations. To achieve this,
the following steps will be taken.
Security
The best deterrent to persons who would consider committing a crime is the knowledge that it is very likely that they will be caught,
adequately punished and be made to pay restitution to the victim or their family. This can only be achieved with the citizens and police
having confidence in each other, working closely and cooperating with each other. As such the following steps will be taken.
1. Policies
(a) The public-relation arm of the police force will be significantly strengthened.
(b) The police force will be remodelled as a service and enforcement organization.
(c) Great emphasis will be placed on community policing.
(d) Activation of the neighborhood watch programme in all communities.
(e) A totally independent body with adequate resources to investigate all shootings and any questionable actions of the police,
soldiers and prison employees.
(f) A special ‘ A’ team of police detectives with adequate resources drawn from the very best within the force to investigate threats or
attacks on members of our security forces, judges, members of the prosecution team, jurors, witnesses, civil servants and political
leaders where it is thought that these threats or attack is related to the performance of their duty. This team will also include
persons to provide security services for any of these persons in need of it.
(g) Recruitment of more District Constables to work in their community.
(h) The use of very attractive rewards to obtain information.
(i) Proper zoning and establishment of a postal code in order to identify each parcel of land so that it can easily be found by first
responders.
(j) Encourage and provide safe avenues for persons to give information to the police.
(k) The police and the department of public prosecution (DPP) department working much closer together with DPP personnel visiting
scene of crime and being involved during
investigation instead of just getting involved after the investigations are completed by the police to prosecute the case.
2. Policing
(a) Efforts to boost the morale of the police by providing better working conditions.
(b) The provision of training and adequate resources on an ongoing basis for the police force to include personal gears, weapons,
vehicles and technological needs.
(c) Greater emphasis on rights and responsibility of both the police and the citizens. This will include an intensive programme to
educate citizens on what their rights are so that they will be aware when they are breached and so can seek redress.
(d) Working smarter and more effectively to prevent and solve crimes.
(e) The reorganization of the police force to function more as a service organization instead of just enforcement.
(f) We will seek to cut back on the use of the army in patrol and limit it to occasions where their help is necessary.
3. Citizenry
(a) The citizens will be educated on safety measures and encourage to take steps to prevent them self from becoming a victim of crime.
(b) Citizens in communities will be encourage to get to know each other and socialise through events such as 'block parties and
cooperate with each other in the neighbourhood watch programme.
4. Legislations
The various legislations needed to enable the police to be effective in their work while protecting the rights of the citizens will be
enacted within the shortest possible time. At the same time existing laws which are controversial will be look at with a view to change if
they are deemed as unfair.
Justice
The Criminal and civil justice courts will receive substantial attention and resources so as to make them easily accessible, quick and fair.
The present state of the justice system is of grave concern to all as there is a great backlog of cases in both the criminal and civil courts,
most of which dates back many years. Systems will be put in place to clear the backlog of cases wile keeping new case current.
Criminal Justice
Jurors will be selected from a list of all persons over the age of eighteen, except for those in the restricted categories, so as to have a
sufficient pool of jurors for selection at trials. The public will be educated as to the need to serve as jurors so that they will give their
service willingly instead of doing so because of the fear of penalties.. The penalties for the various offences will be studied with a view of
increasing or decreasing them to reflect the gravity of the offence. More flexible sentencing options will be implemented thus giving the
judge a wider option and more discretion in sentencing having taken into consideration the sentencing recommendation of the
prosecutors and the circumstances of the crime. The prosecution will now have the right to appeal the sentence if it vary greatly from
their recommendation and is deemed to be too lenient or excessive. Measures will be put in place to eliminate repeat postponements of
trials and have them completed in a timely manner. More emphasis will be placed on giving non custodial sentences for offences where
the offender is not a repeat offender or is deemed a threat to anyone.
Civil Justice
Civil Justice will be a major plank of the JAP. Many conflicts develop and escalate because the party being wronged is unable to stop the
action or to get redress in a timely manner. At the same time the perpetrator is comfortable in the knowledge that there is very little that
the other person can do legally to stop them and so continue their action. Offenders will now find that in addition to facing criminal
penalties, they will also have to contend with civil suit which may leave them broke or in debt for a very long time. Persons who have
been wronged, injured or whose rights have been violated in any way will easily have the opportunity and will be encouraged to seek
redress in the civil court.
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