Coleenupforjustice

Educating you on your rights, so you're always right✊🏾 Criminal Justice Student📗📘 Power to the people✊🏾 Rights as a student Rights as a Jamaican Citizen 🇯🇲

[coleenupforjustice]

As a student of the northern Caribbean University where securities are placed on campus for the safety of students and staff, I believe they may have gentler approach when dealing with students. Security guards are similar to police officers as they also have the responsibility to protect. Therefore their approach should be similar of that of a police officer.

1. Approach students in a calm manner and a normal tone of voice.

2. Always see to find out what the problem before accusing or creating a scene.

3. Be respectful and acknowledge the rights of student.

4. Display professionalism at all times

[coleenupforjustice]

The expectations of a police officer when approaching a citizen/non-citizens.

When approaching a citizen for any reason, the police should do so without hostility. The actions of the officer should not cause the citizen to feel intimidated. It's their responsibility to respect and protect other citizens.

[coleenupforjustice]

The main purpose of the police is to serve and protect and in doing so citizens may be approached for many reasons including arrest, search,seizure detention or questioning. In all of these instances, the citizens should remain calm and show no hostility to implicate his/herself.

How should a citizen behave when being approached by the police for:

A) Arrest- in a respectful tone ask the relevant officer "why am I being arrested?". If you feel as if your actions have been misunderstood, ask the officer permission to explain yourself. If given or not given the opportunity allow the officer to arrest you without hostility and after, contact the relevant authority or someone to do so. Citizens should also exercise their right to be silent, this should be done eliminate implicating yourself and also take a mental note of how they are being arrested.

B) Search- Ask the reason for the search in a calm manner and ask to see a warrant. Follow the officers throughout the search and do not refuse the search if the police have a warrant.

C) Seizure-citizens should speak to the police in a calm manner and ask to see the warrant. If it is not understood,ask for it to be explained by them. Endure that only what is on the warrant to be seized is seized by the police.

D) Detention-being detained is not the same as being arrested, an officer may detain you because he has reasonable suspicion that you committed a crime or are involved in a crime. It gives the officers time to gather evidence to make an arrest. When a citizen is being detained they should first ask why is it happening, secondly exercise their right to be silent calmly comply with officers while taking a mental note of how you're being detained and the treatment from the officers this should be related to your attorney.

E) Questioning- if you are being approached for the police for questioning, the citizen shouldn't be hostile, comply with the officers and go in for questioning. If desired the citizen can exercise their right to contact a lawyer before answering any questions.

[coleenupforjustice]

The police is responsible to:

Maintain law and order

Assist in the prevention and detection of crime

Investigate

Enforce laws

Provide general assistance to the public (serve)

Protect

https://www.csjp.gov.jm/police/your-rights-and-responsibilities

[coleenupforjustice]

Hello guys, today I'll be talking about the responsibilities of citizens and the police. If you weren't aware of your responsibilities you'll be now and I hope you begin to act on them with urgency, being the change you want to see in the world.

Citizens Responsibilities

1. Pay His/her taxes that is levied for the good of the community.

2. Obey the laws of the land

3. Serve on a jury if called to do so.

4. Serve as a witness in court if summoned.

Citizens also carry out responsibilities which are not outlined by the law. They are call Voluntary responsibilities.

1. Being loyal to ones country

2. Understanding and using the judicial process accordingly

3. Being an active member in the community

4. Being an active member in civic organizations

5. Voting properly and wisely in elections

6. Being a cooperative citizen with law enforcement agencies

7. Being well informed on current affairs and issues

8. Being helpful band respectful to ones neighbors

[coleenupforjustice]

Persons or Organizations/ Agencies that assist with the breach of rights

Kingston Legal Aid clinic (KLAC)

The Victim Support Unit of Jamaica

Jamaicans for Justice

Charities

Ombudsman and much more

[coleenupforjustice]

There are many instances where people's rights have been breached without them even knowing. this is due to the fact that some persons are not even aware of what their rights are. Examples of rights being breached are; persons being held without bail beyond the timeframe allowed by the law, detainees are not given a lawyer therefore representing themselves in court and detainees being questioned before their lawyers are present. These things happen everyday and in 95% of the time goes unnoticed. If your rights have been breached as a citizen, you may seek redress by applying to the supreme court or seek help from a Legal Aid Counsel.

[coleenupforjustice]

Rights as a student of the Northern Caribbean University

As a university student I can say without bias and with many others to testify, university students rights are sometimes disregarded by stakeholders, persons in authority and sometimes the student themselves. Rights stated by the Education Regulations 1980 like the right to elect a student representatives to represent the student body on the board are considered but the voices of these representatives are sometimes stifled due to power. However in Jamaica, the Jamaicans for justice (JFJ) did a survey which revealed that 71% of student representatives voted freely on school board decisions while 29% faced restrictions on their right to vote due to concerning and potentially unlawful restrictions. Students are obligated rights such as ;

•Safety- This is a concern and every student has right to be in a secure environment. There should be no physical or mental harassment. Moreover, the classrooms should be free of conflicts, bullying and physical fights even among the students.  Students should be provided counselling sessions as well as training to be able to tackle such situations in school.

•Proper guidance – School students are at risk of being affected by bad influence and they need to be guided properly to help them. It is the right of every student to get proper guidance and during school; they can get the best advice from their teachers.

•Regular feedback – Students should be informed about their academic as well as extracurricular progress by their teacher on regular basis. This helps students to improve in the weaker areas. The feedback should not only be about the subjects mentioned on the report card but also about their behavioural, moral values and uprightness. 

•Leadership and Team participation – Students should be given equal rights to participate in activities at school, be it sports, academics, extracurricular. These activities will impart knowledge and skills that are practical in nature like motivational skills, interpersonal skills, logical and cognitive ability etc.

[coleenupforjustice]

Rights as a child

Do Good Jamaica a charitable organization teamed up with UNICEF Jamaica and the Jamaica Gleaner to host a Twitter chat on children’s rights, using the hashtag #dogood4children. Read more

https://dogoodjamaica.org/childrens-rights/

On November 20, 1989, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  On January 26, 1990, Jamaica signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child and ratified it on May 14, 1991, which made it brinding law in this country.  Children’s rights are reflected in the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedom and the Child Care and Protection Act. According to UNICEF, the Convention on the Rights of the Child spells out the basic human rights that every child under age 18 has:

•the right to survival;

•the right to develop to the fullest;

•the right to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation

•the right to participate fully in family, cultural and social life. 

The four core principles of the Convention are; non-discrimination,Devotion to the best interests of the child, the right to life, survival and development and respect for the views of the child. These rights are categorized by:

•Guiding Principles

•Survival and Development Rights

•Protection Rights

•Participation Rights

[coleenupforjustice]

Rights as a Jamaican Citizen

The Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms 1962(Constitutional Amendment) Act 2011 is the official document outling all the rights of a Jamaican citizen. It clearly states the circumstances under which a citizen's rights can be breached. The curfew given by the government in current times is a perfect example of citizens rights being breached. However in this case, the breach is to preserve public safety. It is our responsibility as citizens to know our rights therefore we know when they're being breached or we are being taken advantage of. As a Jamaican citizen you are entitled to the Following Rights:

• You have the right to life. Liberty and security of the person except in accordance with section 8 of the Constitution.

• The State must observe your human rights

• The right to equality before the law

• Everyone has a right to protection from search of the person and property

• Any person arrested or detained has the right to communicate with his spouse, partner or family member, religious counsellor and a medical practitioner of his choice.

• The rights and freedom of others must be respected by you.

• If you are charged with an offence you are entitled to be tried within a reasonable time.

• A person arrested or detained is entitled to be informed in a language he understands the reason for his arrest or detention. This must be done as soon as practicable after the arrest or detention.

• Any person awaiting trial and kept in custody shall be entitled to bail on reasonable conditions unless, sufficient cause is shown for keeping him in custody.

• Any person deprived of his liberty shall be treated humanely and with respect for the inherent dignity of the person.

• No person must be deprived of his liberty as a consequence of his unfitness to plea to a criminal charge, except on reasonable grounds and in accordance with fair procedures established by law.

• You have the right to freedom of thought, conscience, belief and observance of political doctrines.

• The right to freedom of movement, that is to say, the right; of every citizen of Jamaica to enter Jamaica,

•Of every person lawfully in Jamaica, to move around freely throughout Jamaica, to reside in any part of Jamaica and to leave Jamaica.

•The right to freedom from discrimination on the grounds of;

Being male or female;

Race place or origin, class, colour, religion and political opinion

•The right to everyone to protection from search of the person and property

This a information and more can be found in the Jamaican Charter of Fundamental Rights 1962 ( constitutional Amendment )2011.

[coleenupforjustice]

In most countries citizens are entitled to rights. Incase you need clarification to this sentence, a citizen is an individual entitled to rights in a country by means of marriage, naturalization or adoption and Rights are those conditions granted by the state under situations and circumstances for the welfare of the people. As a citizen do you think your welfare is considered?.There are different types of rights including Natural Rights ( rights that cannot be repealed by human laws), Contractual Rights( rights that are guaranteed under a contract and are legally enforcable),Moral Rights (personal rights contained in the Copyright Act 1968), Legal Rights( interests accepted and protected by law),and Human Rights ( the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every persons). As a blogger and Jamaican, my aim is to educate my fellow Jamaicans on what are their rights, the rights of their children and rights as a University student using my posts. I will also state some remidies available for persons whose rights have been breached and persons or organizations/ agencies that assist with such matters.