Jamaican criminals to expect discount in sentences for early guilty pleas

Jamaican cabinet is reviewing a new act where criminals can expect significant discount in sentences if they confess their guilt to the court at an early stage.

The Criminal Justice Act, which was tabled to the cabinet on Friday, states that defendants, who wish to plead guilty to their offenses on "the first relevant date," will be awarded of up to 50 percent discount in sentences.

The first relevant date, according to the act, refers to the first date on which the defendant is brought before the court after the prosecution has made adequate disclosure to the defendant.

Sentences for defendants, who plead guilty after the first relevant date, but before the start of the trial, may also be reduced by 15 to 35 percent.

Even if the trial procedure is started, according to the act, a 15 percent discount in sentence can still be proposed, as long as the defendant pleads guilty before the verdict is made.

Justice Minister Mark Golding said "the discount applies to crimes such as non-capital murder, shooting and rape, but is not available to capital murder or repeat, multiple murder."

"The reduction will be greater the earlier in the criminal justice process that the guilty plea is indicated," the minister said when he proposed the act.

The act came with deteriorating security conditions in Jamaica. The island, whose population is under 3 million, witnessed more than 320 murder cases up to date this year, the highest in the past five years. Endi