Against a backdrop of surging firearm-related violence and growing rates of repeat offending across the Caribbean, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has tabled a landmark proposal for a sweeping independent review of the nation’s entire criminal justice framework. The move aims to verify that every public safety institution operates at peak effectiveness, answering widespread public concern over escalating violent crime.
In an official correspondence addressed to Chief Justice Margaret Price Findlay, Browne laid out plans for an independent advisory committee tasked with examining far more than just judicial sentencing practices. The review’s scope will extend across every pillar of the criminal justice ecosystem, covering investigative processes carried out by law enforcement, prosecution protocols, prison management, offender rehabilitation initiatives, and coordination between different government agencies tasked with crime reduction.
Under the draft terms of reference, the committee will first conduct a targeted analysis of sentencing outcomes for firearm offenses and other severe violent crimes over a five-year reference period. It will benchmark these results against existing national legislation and the official sentencing guidelines set by the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, pinpointing any gaps between the intended purpose of existing laws and how they are applied in practice. Beyond sentencing, the review will also scrutinize charging and prosecution practices, accessibility of comprehensive criminal history and pre-sentencing data, bail and remand processes, protocols for prisoner release, post-release offender supervision, and the effectiveness of current rehabilitation programs.
Where verifiable, reliable data is available, the committee will also evaluate patterns of recidivism, before putting forward actionable recommendations for legislative, procedural, policy and inter-agency reforms. Critically, Browne stressed that all proposed changes will uphold the core principle of judicial independence, while working to strengthen overall public safety across the twin-island nation.
Noting that regional data confirms a worrying upward trend in gun violence across the Caribbean, Browne emphasized that Antigua and Barbuda cannot rely on generalized regional trends to address its own challenges. The country must conduct a thorough, context-specific examination of its own criminal justice outcomes to develop targeted solutions, he argued.
Browne stressed that the public of Antigua and Barbuda has a legitimate expectation that all branches of the state – from the elected government to the judiciary and law enforcement agencies – will respond to the crime crisis with urgency, coordinated strategy and shared commitment to public protection.
The Prime Minister was also clear to push back against any potential misinterpretation of the proposal: the review is not intended as a critique of the judiciary, nor is it an attempt to interfere with long-standing judicial independence. Instead, he framed it as a constitutionally appropriate mechanism to translate widespread public concern into an objective, data-driven review that will deliver practical, actionable reform recommendations.
To keep the process on a tight timeline and deliver results quickly, Browne has set clear milestones: the Chief Justice will provide an initial response by 20 August 2026, the committee’s membership and final terms of reference will be confirmed by 31 August 2026, interim findings will be published within 30 days of the committee’s formal appointment, and a full, comprehensive final report will be submitted within 90 days of the appointment.
Reaffirming the government’s pledge to provide the independent committee with all necessary logistical support and full access to relevant data, Browne expressed confidence that this collaborative, impartial review will achieve two core goals: rebuilding public trust in the justice system, and driving measurable reductions in violent crime and recidivism for the benefit of all Antigua and Barbuda residents.