𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐂𝐒

The Pacific Center for Peacebuilding (PCP), one of the core NGOs in the work of Corrections this afternoon reconvened discussions on mapping out a more effective way in the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates.

The PCP is committed to embracing a culture of peace, justice, and non-violence within the Pacific Communities. And one of its core roles is restorative justice which basically is a community based approach to justice that aims to repair the trauma and harm done to the victims by the offenders and communities they live in.

In the case of the Fiji Corrections Service, reconnecting the inmates to the victims of their crime to seek forgiveness and helping restore faith in each other – is the work of the PCP.

Work with PCP had ceased due to the constant changing of leadership at the FCS and PCP Chairman Larry Thomas said they were very grateful for the renewed dialogue at the FCS NHQ with the Acting Commissioner of Corrections, Mr Sevuloni Naucukidi and his command group.

“Corrections should really be a space we should be working in more and we are very grateful to be having discussions again this afternoon on reconvening the work we had been doing some years back,’’ Mr Thomas said.

Executive Director Florence Swamy said their work with the FCS was on rehabilitation and preparing communities and victims through their restorative justice programs which they had done for the last 20 years or so but came to a stop recently.

She further added, that the training of FCS personnel was also what they did in the past but have not carried out again for some years but now hope to continue.

Acting Commissioner of Corrections, Mr Sevuloni Naucukidi said all their hard work in rehabilitating and upskilling inmates would be nothing if their reintegration back into society failed.

“We are realizing slowly that a larger focus must be in the reintegration process and we are so thankful to now reengage again the services of PCP whom we relied heavily on in the past to conduct our restorative justice programs in the communities where the inmates were to be returned to.”

“This work is not something we at FCS can do alone, so we are so happy to reconvene these talks and plan ahead now, even the training part of our officers is also very important for us,’’ he added