Restorative justice expands as Guyana targets coverage of 49 courts by year-end

Guyana’s Restorative Justice Programme is expanding its national reach, with nine centres currently operational and plans to increase that number to 11 by the end of 2026.

Coverage is expected to increase from 34 to 49 of the country’s 53 courts, strengthening access to a more people-centred approach to justice.

The expansion seeks to improve dispute resolution, reduce the burden on the court system and address the underlying causes of conflict through reconciliation, accountability and the restoration of relationships.

Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, said restorative justice is now firmly embedded in Guyana’s formal legal system through the Restorative Justice Act 2022, positioning the country as a regional leader in its implementation.

He emphasised that magistrates play a critical role in ensuring the programme’s success, given their daily interactions with citizens and their influence on public confidence in the justice system.

“Restorative justice presents a unique opportunity of bringing the offender and the victim together and to repair that human relationship that would have broken,” the attorney general explained.

Minister Nandlall highlighted the potential for restorative justice to extend beyond the magistracy into schools, religious institutions and social organisations, where early intervention could help identify and address the root causes of conflict before they escalate into more serious problems.

He noted that the approach could help prevent cycles of crime by addressing underlying issues, including abuse and family disputes, while allowing the courts to concentrate their resources on more complex cases requiring formal adjudication.

Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Madame Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire, reaffirmed the Judiciary’s commitment to strengthening restorative justice practices, emphasising that not every matter requires a full trial.

She said the approach promotes victim satisfaction, accountability and reduced reoffending, while encouraging magistrates to utilise mediation, negotiation and constructive engagement to resolve disputes.

The Judiciary is also exploring wellness courts as part of its broader commitment to people-centred, problem-solving justice.

Meanwhile, Director of the Restorative Justice Centre, William Orrin Boston, reported that the programme has recorded encouraging results since referrals from the magistracy commenced in March 2025.

In December 2025, 73 cases had been referred, with an 80 per cent resolution rate and no recorded recidivism, and in 2026, referrals increased to 204 cases, with the resolution rate rising to 85 per cent, although one case of recidivism was recorded.

The programme is also strengthening its operational capacity through the alignment of restorative justice services with the Probation Department, allowing the initiative to utilise existing infrastructure and institutional relationships countrywide.

The director noted that the programme is developing a national referral pathway directory and a digital Restorative Impact Hub to monitor case outcomes, victim experiences, offender accountability, agreement compliance and recidivism.

With an estimated 5,000 cases of the type handled by restorative justice outstanding as of 2023, the initiative is expected to play an increasingly important role in improving the efficiency of the justice system while providing communities with more accessible avenues for resolving conflict. [DPI]