The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) is mandated to facilitate the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders in Jamaica. This responsibility extends to individuals serving non-custodial sentences under supervision, as well as custodial offenders who are permitted to complete the remainder of their sentence within the community.
Central to this mission is the work of Probation Aftercare Officers, who play a pivotal role in supporting offenders throughout their rehabilitative journey. These officers provide supervision, guidance, and counselling, aimed at helping individuals transition back into society, adjust to its norms and expectations, and reduce the risk of reoffending. Their work spans a variety of settings, including
courts of law, schools, juvenile and adult correctional centres, and the wider community.
Through a combination of community partnerships, structured interventions, and restorative practices, DCS ensures that justice is balanced with compassion and practicality—acknowledging that the community plays a crucial role in crime prevention, accountability, and healing.
Community-Based Sentences
The Jamaican Criminal Justice System provides a variety of non-custodial sentencing options, particularly for eligible offenders aged 18 to under 23 years, with the aim of promoting rehabilitation, reintegration, and reduction in reoffending. These alternatives allow offenders to remain in the community under structured supervision and conditions, as determined by the courts and managed by the Probation Aftercare Branch of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS).
Types of Alternative Sentences
1. Fines
The court may impose a monetary penalty as an alternative to incarceration, except in cases requiring a mandatory custodial sentence. Payments may be made in instalments. However, failure to pay may result in imprisonment.
2. Suspended Sentences
Offenders may be given a suspended custodial sentence of up to three years, which allows them to live in the community without supervision. If they reoffend during this period, the suspended sentence may be activated.
A “Bound Over” order is a similar conditional release requiring good behaviour, with sentencing enforced only if the offender breaches this condition within three years.
3. Suspended Sentence Supervision Orders
Offenders aged 18 and over receiving suspended sentences may be placed under supervision by a Probation Aftercare Officer for up to three years.
During this time, they must:
4. Admonished and Discharged
This applies primarily to first-time or minor offenders, where the court issues a stern warning and formally discharges the individual without further penalty.
5. Probation Orders
A Probation Order enables an offender to remain in the community under supervision for one to three years, subject to conditions such as:
This measure supports the offender’s rehabilitation and reintegration while ensuring accountability.
6. Community Service Orders
A Community Service Order (CSO) is a non-custodial sentencing option available to the Jamaican courts, authorised under the Criminal Justice (Reform) Act, 1978. It allows a judge to order an offender aged 18 years or older to carry out unpaid work within the community, typically for minor, non-violent offences. This option serves as a practical and rehabilitative alternative to short-term imprisonment.
With the offender’s consent, the court may require unpaid work for:
Tasks may include community maintenance, sanitation, assisting vulnerable groups, and other public benefit activities. Ineligibility applies to offenders involved in murder, violent crimes, or firearm-related offences, and those without a fixed residence.
Parole
Parole refers to the conditional release of an inmate from an adult correctional centre, allowing them to serve the remainder of their custodial sentence within the community. This release is granted under the Parole Act and is supervised by Probation Aftercare Officers.
Parole differs from:
Eligibility for Parole
An inmate is eligible to apply for parole if they:
Additional eligibility criteria include:
Application Requirements
To apply for parole, inmates must submit:
Considerations for Granting Parole
The Parole Board evaluates a range of factors, including:
Refusal and Reapplication
If parole is denied, the inmate may reapply after 12 months from the date of refusal.
Parole Order and Conditions
Upon approval:
Conditions may include:
Sex Offender Registry
The Sex Offender Registry was established under the provisions of the Sexual Offences Act, 2009, and became operational in July 2014. Its operation is governed by the Sexual Offences (Registration of Sex Offenders) Regulations, 2012. The Registry is managed by the Commissioner of Corrections and is currently located at 12–14 Lockett Avenue, Kingston Gardens, Kingston 4.
The Registry is responsible for:
Registration System
Jamaica uses an offence-based registration system, which mandates that sex offenders convicted of specified offences be registered. This system is not based on risk assessment or sentence length, and therefore may not reflect the offender's level of dangerousness.
Who Must Be Registered?
Individuals convicted (and not exempted) of any of the specified offences under the following Acts must be registered:
Examples of specified offences include:
Registered offenders are monitored for a minimum of 10 years before they are eligible to apply for removal from the Register.
Reporting Obligations of Sex Offenders
Sex offenders are required to report to the Registration Centre serving their parish in the following instances:
A ‘Notice on Absence of Sex Offender‘ form must be submitted in person for travel or long absences.
Removal from the Register
After 10 years, a sex offender may become eligible for the termination of registration and reporting requirements. The process is as follows:
Further applications for termination can only be made if the initial 10-year period has been extended or varied.
Penalties for Breaches
Failure to comply with the reporting and notification requirements constitutes an offence under the Sexual Offences Act, 2009. Penalties include:
Access to Information
The Registry and Register are strictly confidential. Access is restricted to authorised individuals or organisations with a legitimate interest, including:
Applications must be made in writing to:
Registration Centres
Each parish in Jamaica has a designated Sex Offender Registry Registration Centre, except Kingston and St. Andrew, which share a joint centre. These centres are typically housed within Probation Offices, and are equipped to handle: