NEW PUBLICATION
We are pleased to share a new publication by Dacia L. Leslie, Tania Chambers, Ramona Biholar, and Richard Leach:
“Enhancing witness participation in Jamaica’s justice system: Insights from the 2019 Witness Care Conference”
Published in the International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice, Volume 86, 2026, Article 100885.
FREE ACCESS: Read the full article free before October 9, 2026:
https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1neFw6FI3rQ~Jn
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlcj.2026.100885
Abstract: This article examines the barriers and facilitators to witness participation in Jamaica by drawing on stakeholder consultations conducted during the 2019 Witness Care Conference and a documentary review of government reports, legislation and policy documents. Convened under the Justice Undertakings for Social Transformation Programme, the conference brought together more than 100 legal practitioners, law enforcement officials, policymakers and civil society representatives to assess challenges and identify strategies for strengthening witness care. The findings suggest that safety and security risks, procedural inefficiencies, and fragmented interagency communication are among the most significant barriers to effective witness participation. These findings signal the importance of facilitators, such as protective measures, service integration, psychosocial support, special measures, and multi-agency collaboration. The article, therefore, contributes to the development of witness care scholarship by offering a culturally grounded analysis of justice-sector reforms in Jamaica. It also advances victimology by stressing the value of a contextualised, trauma-informed approach to strengthening witness care and participation in legal proceedings. Keywords: Justice; Witness participation; Legal proceedings; Witness care; Jamaica