May 7, 2008 — Volunteers for the People's Court Watch Program (PCWP) are keeping an eye on the criminal justice system of the Virgin Islands, watching to try to assure that the scales of justice stay balanced.
"The purpose of the program is to help the justice system get better," said Attorney Veronica Rollins, coordinator of PCWP.
The PCWP is a program of the V.I. Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council (DVSAC), a multi-agency organization that works to coordinate community response on the issues of domestic violence and sexual assault.
The program had a brief existence earlier and went by the wayside in 2003. The program was just resurrected this month.
"We just got our feet wet at first with the program, which was a major project," said Lynn Spencer, director of DVSAC. "Now we have narrowed the scope of the program."
The volunteers in the program are objective observers not representing anyone. They observe all aspects of the system as to how the justice system is performing. The volunteer's role begins with the advice-of-rights hearings for suspects to the sentencing of those convicted. At the end of three months of observation, they report to key players in the system. Their reports are given to prosecutors, judges, attorneys, advocates and the community.
The goal is to help assure that the scales of justice are balanced between the defendant's rights, victim's rights and the safety of the community. They are there to help the justice system reach its potential as they identify shortcomings and recommend practical solutions.
Volunteers aren't observing any jury trials now, but there are two or three sexual-assault cases on the Superior Court calendar, Rollins said.
St. Croix has five volunteers, and as of yet there aren't any on St. Thomas.
"We are always actively looking for more volunteers," Rollins said.
University students over 18 and senior citizens make good candidates to volunteer, because schedules need to be flexible, Rollins said. Several hours are spent in court mornings or afternoons.
The volunteers go through an interview process, three hours of training and one hour of observation in the courtroom.
The People's Court Watch Program wants to create effective court-community collaboration by maintaining an open dialogue with members of the justice system, rather than an adversarial one. The program seeks to improve the system for the sake of the women, children and families whose lives have been "shattered" by domestic violence and sexual assault, Rollins said.
The project is supported by a grant awarded by the Office of Violence Against Women in the U.S. Department of Justice.
To volunteer or for more information, call 719-0144.
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