Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Governor-General Professor Kenneth Hall yesterday proclaimed the first week of February as 'Restorative Justice Week'.

Carol Palmer, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, read the proclamation at the National Atonement Service, and also declared January 19 to February 8 as a period of national grieving, atonement, healing, restoration and reconciliation.

The service, held at the Portmore Seventh-day Adventist Church under the theme 'Free at Last', was aimed at bringing to the fore the grieving and healing process for victims of crime in Jamaica, as well as a desire for improved social order.

The service also coincided with the start of the final seven days in a 21-day programme, organised to highlight the benefits of, and the building of capacity to, implement restorative justice in Jamaica.

Unresolved hurt

According to the Restorative Justice team, unresolved hurt leads to antisocial behavioural problems. The 21-day activity, which began on January 19, is intended to provide a good foundation for breaking negative habits and developing more appropriate responses to everyday challenges.

"It is quite evident that Jamaica has become a crime-plagued society which threatens our very existence. As a consequence, the moral landscape has changed significantly and focused attention must be given to its immediate restoration," the organisers said.

In his sermon, Dr. Herbert Thompson, president of Northern "The hate, anger, bitterness seem to be bottled up inside of us as a people of this nation," he told the congregation.

Meanwhile, as part of the 21-day initiative, NCU, in collaboration with the ministries of Justice, and National Security; the Dispute Resolution Foundation; and the Jamaica Constabulary Force will this week host a two-day conference dubbed: Restorative Justice: Toward Nation Building Governance.

The conference, which begins on Wednesday, will be held at NCU's campus in Mandeville. The Rev. Dr. Peirre Allard, restorative justice practitioner and assistant commissioner, Community Engagement for the Correctional Services of Canada, will deliver the keynote address.