Basseterre, 17 July 2026
The Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs has concluded the second phase of its national training programme on the proposed Diversionary Caution System, following two days of focused engagement with justice sector stakeholders and service providers on 15 and 16 July 2026 at the Royal St Kitts Hotel.
The sessions brought together approximately 40 participants from the Judiciary, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the legal profession, court administration, His Majesty’s Prison, social service agencies, rehabilitation providers and other public and community institutions expected to support the operation of the system.
The training examined the respective legal, procedural and institutional responsibilities that will arise under the proposed framework. Discussions addressed eligibility and decision making, evidential requirements, informed admission and consent, victim participation, the selection and monitoring of caution conditions, responses to breach, record keeping, confidentiality, oversight and referral to approved programmes and services.
Participants also considered the practical arrangements required to ensure that cautions are implemented consistently and that conditions imposed are realistic, proportionate and capable of being monitored. Particular attention was given to the need for effective coordination among police, prosecutors, the courts, legal practitioners, government agencies and community based service providers.
In opening the stakeholder phase, the Honourable Attorney General Garth Wilkin emphasised that a diversionary caution is a formal justice response requiring legal authority, proper evidence, informed consent, appropriate conditions, reliable records and effective oversight.
He underscored that public confidence will depend on the quality and consistency of implementation, including whether victims are properly heard, persons receiving cautions understand their rights and obligations, service providers can deliver meaningful interventions and justice sector institutions discharge their respective responsibilities in a coordinated manner.
The Attorney General also highlighted the importance of distinguishing a lawful caution from an informal warning. The proposed system is intended to preserve accountability through structured conditions, supervision, monitoring and consequences for noncompliance, while reserving prosecution and court proceedings for serious offences, repeat offending and matters requiring the full intervention of the criminal justice system.
The stakeholder sessions built upon the police training conducted on 13 and 14 July 2026, during which approximately 60 officers examined the operational application of the framework.
The training further examined the relationship between the proposed Diversionary Caution System and the national Restorative Justice framework. Where appropriate and subject to the necessary
safeguards, participation in a restorative justice process may form part of a caution and provide a structured opportunity to address harm, responsibility, reparation and reintegration.
A key area of focus was the development of a national Directory of Approved Programmes and Service Providers. The Directory is intended to assist authorised officers, prosecutors and other justice sector institutions in identifying appropriate counselling, rehabilitation, restorative, educational, social support, employment readiness and reintegration programmes to support the conditions attached to a caution.
The Directory will also establish a clearer basis for referrals, programme standards, monitoring and reporting. This is essential to ensure that caution conditions are not imposed merely on paper, but are connected to credible services capable of addressing identified needs, supporting compliance and reporting on outcomes.
The Ministry acknowledges the financial, and institutional support of the UNDP PACE Justice Project in advancing the Diversionary Caution System. The Ministry also acknowledges UNODC for its technical leadership in delivering the four day programme.
The completion of the training represents an important step in moving the proposed Diversionary Caution System from policy development toward institutional and operational readiness. The feedback received from participants will inform the continued refinement of procedures, forms, referral arrangements, programme standards and implementation safeguards.
The Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs remains committed to establishing a system that is lawful, credible and effective in practice, and that supports earlier intervention, meaningful accountability, reduced repeat offending and stronger public confidence in the administration of justice.
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