Can Courts Help People Change Instead of Just Locking Them Up?

Judges, prosecutors, prison officials, and government representatives sat down with experts from Brazil and Trinidad and Tobago this week to talk about new ways to handle crime without always sending people to prison.

The meeting, organised by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and funded by the European Union, focused on supervised programmes, probation, and other alternatives to jail. For Belizeans, this could mean fewer people locked up for minor offences, stronger rehabilitation programmes in communities, and less pressure on the prison system.

The talks are part of efforts to put Belize’s Adult Alternative Sentencing Act (2024) into practice. This Act allows courts to give structured alternatives to jail for certain crimes, focusing on accountability and support instead of punishment alone.

“This reform is about people,” said Amilin Méndez from UNDP Belize. “It ensures the justice system promotes accountability, rehabilitation, and dignity.”

The changes aim to help people turn their lives around. As Adele Catzim-Sanchez, CEO of the Ministry of Human Development, Family Support and Gender Affairs, said, “This work allows us to move from punishment alone to rehabilitation with purpose. It recognises that many individuals can change when given the right support, structure, and supervision.”

Through the EU-funded PACE Justice Project, Belize is also setting up an Adult Probation Unit to make sure these alternatives are properly managed, with strong safeguards and accountability.

Officials said these measures are not “soft on crime”. Instead, they are a smarter, evidence-based way to protect communities “while addressing the root causes of offending.”