Restorative justice can rebuild democratic participation

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Jamaica’s recent general election recorded voter turnout of less than 40 per cent. While this is an alarming signal of the disconnect between citizens and our democratic institutions, it reflects a wider trend across several mature and newer western liberal democracies.

What can we do to bridge this deficit? The path to revitalising our democracy lies not only in casting votes, but in creating spaces where people can truly listen, speak, and decide together. Restorative Justice (RJ) already makes this possible in communities across Jamaica, in a quiet and powerful way.

Restorative justice is not only a tool for resolving disputes; it is also an exercise in democracy. In RJ, victims, offenders, their families, and community members, along with trained volunteers, all sit together to talk. This is democracy in action, not through the ballot box, but through the practice of sharing, hearing, deliberating, and deciding together. It is a model of accountability that deserves Jamaica’s full attention, especially at a time when faith in formal political processes is waning.

International human rights instruments underscore the importance of participation as an enabler right, with the potential to pave the way for the realisation of other fundamental rights. Democracy cannot survive on elections alone. It thrives wherever people gather to speak, listen, and decide together.

Restorative Justice offers one such path to renewal.

SIMONE MITCHELL-DACOSTA

Restorative Justice

Practitioner