State Minister Cuthbert-Flynn Commends Department of Correctional Services for Advancing Peace and Justice
Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security and Peace, the Hon. Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn has commended the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) for its pivotal role in advancing peace and justice, citing the Department’s contributions to rehabilitation, reintegration and reduced recidivism as key factors in Jamaica’s improving national security landscape.
“For fifty years, the DCS has stood as a pillar of national security, protecting communities, providing stability, restoring lives, nurturing harmony and guiding individuals back to dignity and purpose. Your tireless work in rehabilitation and reintegration reflects more than correction, it amplifies each of our efforts to build peace and strengthen the foundation of justice in our country”, she underscored.
The Security and Peace State Minister made the commendations as she addressed the Department’s Annual Staff Awards Ceremony on Saturday, January 17, held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston under the theme ‘Excellence in Securing, Rehabilitating and Reintegrating Lives for a Safer Jamaica’.
Minister Cuthbert-Flynn further outlined that each success story from offender client’s graduations to digital transformation, cements corrections as a cornerstone of Jamaica’s peace-building mission.
“Each act of duty, each life restored, and each community strengthened brings us closer to a Jamaica where peace is not just a vision, but a daily reality”, she explained, adding that “peace is the presence of justice, dignity, and opportunity”.
The State Minister lauded the role the reduction in recidivism played in the country’s historic decline in murders and outlined that the Ministry, through the DCS, is advancing Jamaica’s alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by embedding rehabilitation and welfare into its core mandate.
In highlighting the DCS’s achievements, she further praised the extensive rehabilitation and reintegration efforts, noting that the establishment of the first correctional nursery at South Camp Adult Correctional Centre directly supports the nation's pledge to accomplish SDG #3 of Good Health and Well-being in the correctional system.
Similarly, in his keynote address, President of the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean, Professor Colin Gyles, shared his resolve on the impact of the DCS and described the Department’s work as “... critical to the maintenance of peace and order in society”.
He further explained that the work done within the corrections system ensures that “society can feel confident that we are more secure” by virtue of positive influences guiding those in state care.
Through the DCS, the Ministry of National Security and Peace is advancing a vision of justice that extends beyond punitive measures, one that is rooted in healing, hope and peace. These efforts reflect the government’s mission to build a healthier, community-centered, more just, and peaceful Jamaica.
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