Magistrates' boss to focus on JP training

Newly appointed president of the Lay Magistrates' Association of Jamaica (LMAJ), Rion Hall, says training justices of the peace (JPs) in the role of restorative justice will be the hallmark of his three-year tenure.

Hall was appointed head of the LMAJ on Saturday during the association's annual general meeting which was held at the St Andrew Parish Church hall. Hall replaced former President Calvin Lyn, who headed the association since 2007.

"I will be seeking to have all our members well trained so that they can deliver the kind of justice our people deserve," said Hall.

"We believe in a restorative way, and believe that as justices of the peace we can go back to the days when (JPs) in the community were seen as the first line of solving problems. (In doing so) our courthouses and our jails will not be as crammed as they are," he added.