PARTICIPANTS’ PAPERS
COUNTRY REPORT - FIJI
By Anare Bulainacagilaba*
I. INTRODUCTION
The level of crime associated with urbanization in a given society is affected by a number of social,political and economic factors. In a developing country such as Fiji, rising urban crime rates are associatedwith rapid urbanization, unemployment, relative deprivation, skewed distribution of economic resources,
uneven development and cultural change to name a few.
As in many countries, crime in Fiji is primarily an urban phenomenon. The urban centres with higher
concentration of population and businesses are affected by greater volume of crime and deviant activities
than are the sparsely populated and physically isolated rural areas. The country’s two cities of Suva andLautoka and the towns of Labasa, Nadi, Ba, Rakiraki, Sigatoka, Labasa and Savusavu figure prominently incrime reports than the small villages in the interior of the mainlands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu including
the remote islands.

II. AIMSThis paper intends to provide the following as they apply in Fiji:(i) Current situation of crime associated with urbanization, countermeasures and problems experienced(ii) Effective measures for prevention of crimes associated with urbanization(iii) Effective measures for youths at risk(iv) Role of the community in an integrated approach (multidisciplinary approach) and establishment ofan effective multi – agency cooperation and collaboration system

III. CURRENT SITUATION OF CRIMES ASSOCIATED WITH URBANIZATION,
COUNTERMEASURES AND PROBLEMS FACED
A. Current Crime Situation
The incidence of certain crimes in Fiji seems to be associated with a regional pattern in that apart fromthe lowly profiled white-collar crimes, predatory property offences such as robbery with violence, burglary,house breaking, larceny, unlawful use of motor vehicle, prostitution and drug abuse are more common in theurban centres. This is not unusual given the higher concentration of wealth and businesses in the urban
areas. By contrast, the rural areas have higher rates of homicide, rape, suicide, domestic violence, arson,
cultivation of marijuana and theft of farm animals.
1. Types of Crime(i) Robbery with violence
The Robbery incidence in Fiji has recorded a notable increase since 1999 (see Appendix, Table 1).
However, in 2003 and 2004 up to the month of September, police recorded a decrease in number of robberywith violence cases from 629 to 612.
An alarming trend is the growing level of violence associated with these crimes. In 2002 and 2003 mostFijians were found to be the perpetrators of these crimes against victims who are mostly Indians. Fifty six
percent of these offenders were unemployed in 2002 compared to sixty five percent in 2003. While there
were an insignificant number of offenders associated with liquor most robberies were committed by males
between the ages of 17 and 24.
Banks, prominent shopping centres and businessmen, fuel stations, foreign money exchanges, privately
owned shops and private residences of prominent and high ranking people will remain priority targets formasked youths in groups armed with pistols and/or iron rods, cane knives, broken bottles and stones usedmerely to intimidate victims to relinquish their valuables.

* Assistant Superintendent of Police, Nasinu Police District, Fiji Police Force, Fiji.

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129TH INTERNATIONAL SENIOR SEMINARPARTICIPANTS’ PAPERS(ii) Burglaries and house breakings
Crimes of Burglaries and House Breakings both feature prominently in the news bulletin on a daily basis.
Between 1999 and 2003, 836 cases of Burglaries and 1,355 House Breakings on average were recorded by
offenders who were mostly unemployed male Fijians between the ages of 17 and 24 years (see Appendix,
Table 2). Most Indians were victims of these crimes.
Most of these crimes occur when occupants are away or else break in when residents are asleep or
engaged and distracted with other activities. The increased sophistication and professionalism of offenders ofthese crimes is quite evident. Wearing of gloves by perpetrators to avoid traces of finger or palm prints on
the scene with accomplices as “look-outs” and/or “get-away” drivers is quite evident.

(iii) Unlawful use of motor vehicles
Auto theft, locally referred to as Unlawful Use of Motor Vehicle is one of the fastest growing crimes in
the country. Between 1999 and 2003, on average 338 cases of auto theft were recorded by police mostly
involving unemployed male Fijians between the ages of 17 and 24 as offenders. Over fifty six percent ofcases recorded in 2002 were associated with alcohol (see Appendix, Table 3). Mostly Indians were victims.
In most cases stolen vehicles are used as get-away vehicles in robbery cases or repainted and sold whileothers may be dismantled and their component parts sold separately. Perpetrators of these crimes are often
highly skilled in auto-mechanics with intricate knowledge even to start car engines without the use of keys.

(iv) Illegal drug use
On average, police between 1999 and 2003 recorded 442 cases of illegal drug use. Most offenders of thiscrime are male Fijians from the ages of 25 and over with the youngest between the ages of 10 and 16.
Marijuana cultivation in commercial quantities has increased substantially particularly in the Western
Division of the country. In spite of stringent drug control laws, including a mandatory sentence for offenders,drug use is fast becoming a concern in view of its social and health consequences.
(v) Larceny
The most common form of Larceny committed in urban centres are those involving larceny from dwellinghouses, larceny from persons and larceny from ships and docks. Police from 1999 to 2003 recorded anaverage of 802 such cases. Larceny from dwelling houses and persons made up the largest number of thesecases. These crimes are mostly committed by unemployed male Fijians between the ages of 17 and 24 years.
Over 53 of these cases were associated with alcohol in 2002.
(vi) Prostitution
Although prostitution is one of the oldest crimes, it is still one of the most common within the urban
centres, which is understandable given the high concentration of working class people and businesses.
Unlike in many parts of the world where prostitution is a legal thriving trade, the crime of prostitution in Fijiis quite insignificant in terms of the actual number of cases recorded and successfully prosecuted due to theusual lack of evidential proof to establish the crime. In most cases potential offenders would eventually becharged for Loitering in a Public Place at Odd Hours of the Night.

B. Countermeasures
The failure to prevent these crimes makes people feel unsafe. Rightly the community looks to its justiceinstitutions, such as the police, for leadership and guidance in crime prevention. It relies on the police as afirst responder when crimes are committed and rightly expects the rest of the system, includingprosecutors, courts, prisons and social welfare services to do their part to ensure punishment is meted out
and the perpetrator is then reintegrated back into the community.
1. Police
The enforcement role of the police includes the traditional repressive approach involving mass arrest ofoffenders from semi-urban and rural sectors of the communities including squatter and housing settlements.
Criminal profiling that provides sufficient details and background information on habitual offenders havebeen quite effective in the identification and subsequent arrest of crime suspects. Included are other reactive
policing strategies that ensure a sufficient level of police visibility at selected locations at certain times ofthe day. The recently introduced “No Drop Policy” for certain crimes, including those related to violence,

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has been an effective deterrent.
Proactively, the Fiji Police have been currently engaged intensively in crime prevention activities
soliciting the support and active participation of the wider community in the fight against crime. Such longterm strategy has primarily targeted youths, being the most vulnerable members of the community. In Fiji,
Crime Prevention committees, Parents, Church, Youth and other groups are spearheading programmes suchas Police Youth Citizen Group, Youth In Sports Programmes and the National Youth Volunteer Scheme with
one common purpose which is to engage youths and other vulnerable community members in worthwhile
activities away from idleness and negative peer pressure.
However, policing efforts are usually hampered by severe shortage of resources in terms of budget,
manpower, mobility and other equipment. The total approved annual budget for the Fiji Police for 2005 is $59
million dollars representing a mere increase of $1.5 million from 2004. The total police manpower
establishment currently stands at 2,063 providing policing services to a population of over 800,000. From avehicle fleet establishment of 149, over half have gone beyond their operational worthiness. Computers arestill a rare commodity in the Fiji Police despite their unlimited access worldwide.
2. Prosecution & Courts
Prosecution of cases is conducted by the Police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions(DPP) with the latter usually handling the more serious and complex cases. Legal assistance would either beby private paid counsels, the government’s Legal Aid Department or personal representation by theoffender.
A common problem faced by the prosecution, and for that matter the police, is in terms of bail procedures
often exercised by the courts. Habitual offenders of violent robbery crimes are sometimes granted bail when
one or more cases against them are still pending in court. This usually creates a cycle of re-offending where
an offender would have accumulated a significant number of related crimes before being finally tried.
Backlog of unheard cases, state of injuries if any inflicted on an offender and the deplorable state of prison
facilities are the factors usually considered seriously by the courts.
3. Correctional Institutions (Prisons)
The role of the Fiji Prison Service is the effective and efficient containment and rehabilitation of allconvicted offenders and their successful re-integration into the mainstream of the community. However, alesser degree of success as to the fulfilment of the latter of these roles has been achieved as the service is
too focused towards containment and less on rehabilitation. This is potentially a staging point to highrecidivism as offenders enter and leave prison confinement without any opportunity to either learn or
rehabilitate themselves from their wrong doing or successfully integrate themselves back into their own
communities.
Severe lack of resources in terms of funds, manpower, facilities and skills to carry out proper andprofessional rehabilitation services are the most significant problems apart from lack of consultation an/or
coordination with other involved agencies.

IV. EFFECTIVE MEASURES FOR PREVENTION OF CRIME ASSOCIATED WITHURBANIZATION
A. Preventative Measures that can be taken by the Police and Prosecution
1. Diversionary Programmes
The policy currently in existence whereby juvenile first-time offenders of minor crimes are not formallycharged is a constructive policy that should be maintained. This can purposely avoid these young offenders
being adjudicated and labelled as deviant, delinquent or criminal. Such labels tend to lead to repeat offences
as the individual so tagged live out the labels that have been applied to them. When juveniles are diverted
away from the criminal justice system and are entrusted to the care of parents and other guardians, these
adults should assume an active role and make a concerted effort to steer these juveniles towards a
productive and law-abiding life.

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2. Mentor Programmes
A mentor programme could be established involving prominent members of the community interested involunteering their time. These role models could provide personal and career guidance for first time
offenders. The positive rapport and caring concern that could emerge from such relationships would further
encourage youths to follow a law-abiding path and discourage deviant and criminal conduct.
3. Offender with Victim Mitigation Programmes
Opportunities for an offender of a crime to come face to face with the victim before the case is brought forhearing before the court are often quite impossible. Police and prosecutors are often quite hasty toinvestigate and have the perpetrator charged without allowing an opportunity for the offender to personally
see the victim “eye to eye” as this will have a much more remorseful effect on the offender. Suchprogrammes will instil a positive psychological effect not to re-offend and avoid such encounters that could
be so emotional and humiliating.
4. Community Based Sentencing
Most offenders of urban related crimes are originally from close-knit families and established origin.
They become involved in crime due to peer and other negative influences within a community completely
new and foreign in terms of life-style and upbringing. Introducing a sentencing procedure where offenders
are made to return to their place of origin will be an effective way to re-integrate an offender back into theirown familiar community.

B. Reported Crime Mapping Analysis
One of the major difficulties in effectively responding to reported crimes in Fiji is the lack of systematicallycompiled data on crime in the country. A related problem is the rudimentary manner in which the data is
categorized. Until recently, much of the police data on crime were recorded by hand in notebooks andmanually computed with calculators. While the computer has replaced the notebook and the calculator, crime
data has been classified in basically the same manner for decades. Offenders and victims of crime continue tobe classified into the major racial groups of “Fijian”, “Indian” and “Other” and grouped by age under broadly
defined categories of crime. Analyses of crime trends of spatial and temporal distribution are almost nonexistent.
However, significant improvements are being made with the recent development of crime stats networking,although it is at its initial stage. Further, work on the Geographical Information System (GIS) has alsocommenced intentionally to improve police responses to reported crimes and ensure they are moreobjective and not sporadic as is currently the case.

C. Situational Crime Prevention
White collar crime and predatory offences such as robbery, burglary and housebreaking are morecommon in the urban centres which is not unusual given the geographical layout of cities and towns. In someneighbourhoods in the country’s urban centres, there is no physical boundary that separates the wealthy
from the poor which makes the gap between the rich and the poor more visibly apparent leaving the wealthy
as a source of envy and resentment and also makes them vulnerable to predatory property offences. Fiji has
been left to face the consequences of poor urban planning.
The recent establishment of a Standards Commission, that will generally establish standards, will ensurethat new buildings conform to required security standards, apart from other things.

D. Measures for Preventing Victimization
There is a common perception that crime control is the responsibility of the government, the police, theprison services and other law enforcement agencies alone. However, every sector of society should play arole in the effort to control the level of crime in the country. Citizens, for example, should work jointly withlaw enforcement personnel to prevent and detect crime.
One way average citizens can avoid becoming victims of crime is by taking aggressive protective andpreventive measures to secure their persons and property. Simple precautions such as avoiding carrying
large amounts of cash on one’s person and wearing expensive jewellery should be observed all the time.
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RESOURCE MATERIAL SERIES No.68

premises. Homeowners should leave their homes secured with sufficient lighting and avoid leaving theircars unattended with the keys in them.

E. Crime Prevention by the Communities
One of the most acclaimed community-based crime fighting programmes is the “Neighbourhood Watch
Scheme”. This crime watch programme has been established in a number of residential areas throughout thecountry. Existing schemes should be strengthened by promoting wider community involvement inresidential communities where participation in the programme has declined.
Young people are particularly prone to idleness and boredom during the school holidays. It is no surprise,then, that it is during the long summer holidays that juvenile offences are at their peak. The end of theschool year should coincide with an increase in recreational, educational and volunteer programmes foryoung people. These programmes should be accessible to young people of all socio-economic backgrounds.
Community organizations as well as private citizens can donate their time and resources to sponsor suchactivities and should view it as an investment in the nation’s future.
Churches and other religious organizations should take on a larger role in providing moral instruction foryouths. There is some evidence that those that believe in a higher authority or higher being generally tend
to feel a great sense of responsibility and accountability for their actions and believe they will suffer theconsequences if they commit a crime, by divine retribution, if nothing else.
Parents and other family members have a critical role in moulding their children to be responsible andlaw-abiding. They should be more involved with their children and know what is happening in their lives andnot smother them or otherwise interfere beyond what youths consider acceptable levels.
Collaboration and cooperation of other agencies are so vital. The Prison service in its rehabilitation rolemust be sustainable and will require support and assistance from outside agencies such as social welfare
services, the communities, the churches, educational institutions and other employment agencies.

V. EFFECTIVE MEASURES FOR YOUTH AT RISK
A. The Integrated Approach
One of the strategic objectives of Fiji’s National Youth Policy under its Strategic Action Plan (2005 - 2008)
is to respond to specific needs of “youth at risk” such as those with disabilities, displaced youth, sexual
minorities, young women, ex-prisoners, street kids, wheelbarrow boys, shoeshine kids, the homeless andother vulnerable youths. Support and empowerment are being conducted through Awareness, Advocacy,
Training, Counselling, Participation, Empowerment and Youth forums involving other agencies. Intended
outcomes of these programmes are:•

Empowered youth/ex-offenders•

Reduced number of youth/juvenile offenders•

Inclusive programmes for offenders/juveniles and delinquents•

Reduced number of inmates•

Accredited trade skills in prison complexes i.e. franchise with other productivity and tertiary
institutions•

Inclusive programmes for underprivileged youths•

Reduced number of street/wheelbarrow and shoeshine kids•

Reduced number of youths/women on the streets

In Fiji, children at risk are placed under the care of the Director of Social Welfare Department. A Care andCash Allowance grant of $30-$35 per child is given to families/guardians supporting children other than their174

129TH INTERNATIONAL SENIOR SEMINARPARTICIPANTS’ PAPERS

own. The allowance is also paid to residential homes who have taken into their care neglected, abused andorphaned children who are placed under the care of the Department of Social Welfare.
Financial assistance to poor and disadvantaged families is also provided for under the Family Assistance
Scheme at $30-$100 on a monthly basis. Similarly, under the Poverty Alleviation Programmed, a cash grantto the maximum of $5,000 is provided to assist the homeless build their homes or other income generating
projects. Grants to non-government organizations that supplement the role of social welfare are also
provided.

B. Institutional Treatment for Youths
The Social Welfare department administers two homes - the Boys Centre and the Mahaffy Girls Centre
with the former catering to male juveniles offenders placed under the care of the Social Welfare and thelatter for juvenile girls who are mostly victims of abuse. A number of programmed activities are run at theboy’s centre including mechanics and woodwork. At the Mahaffy Centre, the girls are engaged in a home
programme comprising of cooking/baking, domestic duties, crafts, gardening and crochet. In addition to theabove, the inmates undergo learning experiences and participate in various other activities that contribute totheir overall personal development. This includes recreational programmes that gives the girls theopportunity to participate in sports and religious activities, excursions and social events.
The departmental officers are gazzetted probation offices responsible for the supervision of probationers.
Their responsibility is to befriend, advise and assist the probationer in his/her rehabilitation back into thecommunity. They provide reports on the socio-economic background of an offender at the request of amagistrate to assist in deciding the appropriate sentence for a particular case.

C. Effective Community-Based Treatment for Youths/Juveniles
The wider community can also assist in the rehabilitation of former inmates by helping to resettle themonce they are discharged from prison. For example, employers in the private and public sectors must be
encouraged to hire former inmates in gainful employment.
In order for the wider community to play a rehabilitative role, it must first change its attitude towards
persons who have been incarcerated. In Fiji, as in many societies, individuals who have spent time in prison
are often labelled as “ex-convicts”. Many employers are suspicious of discharged prisoners and refuse tohire them. Members of the community refuse to associate with them and treat them as social outcasts. Thissocial rejection and the denial of employment opportunities tends to build resentment and with it recidivism,or the resumption of criminal activities both out of frustration and the need for economic survival.

VI. ROLE OF THE COMMUNITY IN THE INTEGRATED APPROACH(MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH) AND ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EFFECTIVE
MULTI-AGENCY COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION SYSTEM
A. Necessity, Planning and Implementation of an Integrated Approach (multidisciplinary approach)and Agencies In-charge
1. Necessity
Crime prevention is everyone’s responsibility – it is not something that is exclusively invested inpolicing responsibilities. Crime prevention can be as simple as locking the doors of your house or as complex
as instilling right thinking attitudes and mores at home or at school, ensuring a sound moral foundation forour children.
Fiji is beginning to recognize crime prevention as an important area of policy and requires its justiceagencies and institutions to come together and develop common and cohesive approaches that make people
feel safe in their homes and on the streets. The current government, sectoral and community approach is
too focused on efforts and expending of resources away from crime prevention and rehabilitation towards
interventions focused on punishment, such as imprisonment. Prevention is not only better than cure but
also cheaper, so Fiji has to spent more effort and money on keeping people out of prison than putting them
in.

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2. Current Situation, Initiatives and Planning
There is no national crime prevention/community safety strategy in Fiji. Attempts have and are being
made to ensure law and order groups and agencies work together to combat crime. Although there is a
Combined Law Agency Group (CLAG) established to improve coordination amongst law enforcement
agencies, there is no cohesive strategy which drives home the responsibility every sector, person,
community, group, business, agency and so on must accept to ensure crime is minimized and people feel safe
to live and work in Fiji.
Currently, there is a very real and definite approach to crime prevention and community safety in Fiji
under the Australian-Fiji Law and Justice Programme (AFLJP) that seeks a common understanding amongst
justice agencies and institutions as well as the community and the rest of government towards a unifying
objective. This programme seeks to demonstrate models of cooperation through the identification ofcommon issues across the sector. These issues are addressed through mutual cooperation and commitment
to ensuring the most effective outcomes for the community.
The programme identified key issues in existence from its initial problem analysis it conducted in 2003.
Essentially they are:•No holistic strategy for community safety and crime prevention;•

Community awareness and understanding of their rights and responsibilities with respect to crime
prevention and the operation of the justice system is limited;•

Lack of adequate deterrent by and respect for justice sector institutions;•

Declining confidence that the justice system can deliver equitable outcomes;•

Inadequate linkages, understanding, involvement and quality of contact between the community andthe justice system; and•High levels of recidivism.

Under the programme four key output areas were identified as follows:•

Strategies and action plans for justice sector wide crime prevention and community safety be
developed and implemented;•

Relevant organizations and agencies adopt the key focus areas of a justice sector wide crime
prevention and community safety strategy;•

Awareness and education programme conducted to inform the community on justice sector
approaches to crime prevention and community safety;•

Protocols developed which define responsibilities and implementation strategies in crime prevention
and community safety

The intent of the above is to support the introduction of a holistic approach to crime prevention andcommunity safety through the implementation of collaborative, sector-wide activities. The focus will be on
development of a sector-wide approach to this issue that will include the introduction of common operating
protocols, clarification of agency responsibilities and the development of a whole-of-sector strategy to
pursue crime prevention and community safety in a mutually supportive manner with common objectives.
3. Implementation
The following is a description of how the Sectoral Statement on Crime Prevention and Community Safety
statement was developed and how it will be translated into action in the future.

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SECTORAL STATEMENTCRIME PREVENTION/COMMUNITY SAFETY
Research
Consultations
Dev. of Strategic
ThemesWorkshops
National Strategic
Dev. Plan
2003-2005

Identification of
Key Focus Areas

Sectoral Objectives/
Activities

INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATION STRATEGIC
PLANS

Figure 1: Development Process for Sectoral Statement on Crime Prevention(i) Research
As part of the activities of the AFLJSP extensive research was undertaken to assess the current state ofcrime in Fiji and also the perceptions of crime and the community’s attitudes towards the effectiveness ofthe sector as a whole:
•
•
•
•
•

Twenty one Community Workshops throughout Fiji.
Community Attitudes Survey conducted by the University of the South Pacific and commissioned by
the AFJSP. Over 3,800 people surveyed nationally.
Twenty eight major research reports and reviews conducted by four Advisers of the AFJLSP.
Extensive consultations with stakeholders and counterparts over a period of eight months.
Review of the National Strategic Development Plan 2003 - 2005.

(ii) Strategic themes
The research above provided an insight into the national mindset, needs and priorities of the population
for crime prevention and community safety. There were a kaleidoscope of messages, some well defined,
others subtle and unspoken. The task initially was to crystallize the messages into themes which adequatelyreflected the aspiration and needs of the general community for law and order, and justice.
The mining of the anecdotal comments and other information from all research and workshops in 2003
and 2004 is now documented. It is from comments like this and other research undertaken that authority to
distil the Strategic Themes below was drawn.
This was not difficult to do as there was so much information available. The results were not unexpected
and no doubt echoed the needs of most communities around the world – “we just expect our Government tokeep us safe from criminals and stop them committing crimes in the first place”.
The Strategic Themes developed were:•

Promoting Respect for Human Rights•

Improving Sectoral Education and Training•

Developing Integrated Approaches•

Improving Management of the Criminal Justice System•

Improving Strategic Planning and Management•

Developing integrated Approaches

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Improving Juvenile Justice•Supporting Community Involvement•

Improving Sectoral Transparency and Accessibility•

Enhancing Community Capacity to Respond to Crime•

Improving Community Education on Law and Rights•

Increasing Sectoral Professionalism and Ethics•

Improving Access to Professional Resources•

Preventing Entry to the Criminal Justice System•

Reducing Indigenous Fijian Rates of Imprisonment•

Improving corrections and rehabilitation

Many of these themes require interventions and support beyond the reach of the justice sector andhealth, education, communications and transport. The justice sector was required to select the areas where
it could have the most or some impact.
These themes were also considered to be the most relevant in developing sectoral goals and objectives.
In later workshops participants were asked to consider what it was the Justice Sector needed to focus on to
be the most effective in meeting the goals of community safety and crime prevention.

(iii) Key focus areas
The Justice Sector is not solely responsible for the safety and security of the people of Fiji but is charged
with the enforcement of the rule of law and the administration of justice.
It was decided to concentrate on Key Focus Areas (KFA) that target those areas that have the greatest
effect in reducing crime and strengthening the administration of justice by analyzing the Strategic Themes interms of what the Justice Sector is responsible for.
The Key Focus Areas identified were:•Strengthening families at risk due to multiple persistent disadvantages (poor access to health,education, welfare and rural remoteness)•

Reducing offending and victimization•

Reducing violence in all levels of society•

Reducing the risk and impact of family violence•

Reducing the number of youth at risk of delinquency and offending•

Improving racial harmony through adherence to Constitutional mandates•

Improving justice sector performance through integration and cooperation•

Acknowledgement of the communities primacy as clients of the criminal justice system•

Increasing adherence to standards of professionalism and ethics•

Improving sectoral performance through effective planning and responsive management

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The KFAs above are the drivers for the development of a sectoral statement which signals to thecommunity that justice in Fiji is united in its efforts to enforce the law, dispense justice, and punish
wrongdoers in an environment that is cognizant of the hardship and disadvantage of many and the need forinterventions and diversions rather than incarceration.

(iv) Sectoral objectives and activities
The Strategic Themes and KFAs described above have been further analyzed and defined into 17
combined sectoral objectives.
These Sectoral Objectives enable individual agencies and institutions to action the themes and KFAs by
including the Sectoral Objectives into their strategic and annual plans. Based on the Strategic Themes andKFAs the primary Sectoral Objectives arising out of the analysis of all research and consultations are:•

To respond to victims of crime, particularly in the area of family violence, in a manner which
minimizes repeat victimization•

To promote crime prevention and law enforcement measures to reduce opportunities for offending•

To maintain a system of sanctions which effectively deters offenders•

To contribute to inter-sectoral initiatives aimed at improving support for “at risk” families and youth
to reduce offending over the medium to long term•

To ensure adherence to Constitutional mandates on human rights and equality•

To ensure court processes are independent, fair, open, accessible, cost effective and responsive tothe diverse needs of users•

To improve the integration of justice sector agencies in both policy development, planning andoperational activities•

To implement an effective community policing system•

To improve the detection and apprehension of offenders through targeting resources•

To develop strategies and policies which promote adherence to high standards of professionalism andethics•To establish policies to reduce the over-representation of indigenous Fijians in conflict with thecriminal justice system•

Improve support for victims of crime and their participation in the criminal justice system•

To ensure that relevant, timely, accurate information is available and accessible to support the needsof the criminal justice system•

To provide interventions and systems of offender management that contribute to reducing reoffending•

To support and promote community-based crime prevention initiatives•

To provide effective rehabilitation, including the need for strong community support•

To increase opportunities for greater access to justice

These objectives were work-shopped at the LJSCG and individual agency and institution
heads/representatives agreed to incorporate the essence of relevant ones into their 2005/6 strategic and/or
business plans. They will not necessarily be described in the manner above but will reflect the intention.

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The Sectoral Statement was designed to promote and enhance the strategic direction set by theGovernment through the National Strategic Development Plan 2003-2005 Policy Objectives and Key
Performances Indicators.
The statement focuses effort in areas of high strategic importance and provides a framework forcoordinating agency policies and activities. This provides the overarching strategy for the criminal justicesector. It also extends beyond the sector by linking with social policy strategies.
Promoting crime prevention and safer communities through reducing offending and victimization
requires long-term multi-agency approaches. In order to provide direction and co-ordination in making
progress on the strategic goals, the Sectoral Statement sets out themes and key focus areas to assist in
focusing effort and resources where they are likely to have the most impact.
The allocation of objectives by agency are:

Objective
To respond to victims of crime,
particularly in the area of family
violence, in a manner which minimizes
repeat victimization
To promote crime prevention and law
enforcement measures to reduce
opportunities for offending
To maintain a system of sanctions which
effectively deters offenders
To contribute to inter-sectoral
initiatives aimed at improving support
for “at risk” families and youth to reduce
offending over the medium to long term
To ensure adherence to Constitutional
mandates on human rights and equality
To ensure Court processes are
independent, fair, open, accessible, costeffective and responsive to the diverse
needs of users
To improve the integration of justicesector agencies in both policy
development, planning and operational
activities
To implement an effective community
policing system
To improve the detection andapprehension of offenders throughtargeting resources
To develop strategies and policies which
promote adherence to high standards ofprofessionalism and ethics
To establish policies to reduce the overrepresentation of indigenous Fijians inconflict with the criminal justice system
Improve support for victims of crime
and their participation in the criminal
justice system

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Aid

PolicePrisons

Courts

DPP

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Solicitor Social
General Welfare

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To ensure that relevant, timely,
accurate information is available andaccessible to support the needs ofcriminal justice agencies
To provide interventions and systems ofoffender management that contribute to
reducing re-offending
To support and promote communitybased crime prevention initiatives
To provide effective rehabilitation,
including the need for strong community
supportTo increase opportunities for greater
access to justice

X

X

X

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X

X

X

X

X

X
X

X

X

X

X

(v) Sectoral statement
If the justice sector is to translate the research and identification of Strategic Themes and KFAs into
something meaningful and actionable it must give a commitment to the community through a Sectoral
Statement on its Objectives and Activities. These objectives and activities would form part of eachorganization’s (police, courts, prisons, etc.) strategic plans for which they are annually held accountable bygovernment. The statement needs to be precise, concise, relevant but easily understood, and absorbed by
the general community.
It should be noted though that this strategy and statement comes from the formal justice sector of Fiji,i.e. those institutions and agencies that make up the sector responsible for law enforcement, administrationand operation. It is NOT a statement from the conglomeration of bodies within Fiji that have a diverse
general interest or function in the wider law and order role. In effect the statement would be a common setof objectives for the formal justice sector only.
At the Law and Justice Sector Programme Coordinating Group (LJSPCG) on 26th May, 2004 senior
representatives from all justice agencies and institutions came together and developed the Sectoral
Statement on Crime Prevention and Community Safety. This was taken back to each organizations CEO andat a meeting held on 29th June, 2004 again discussed and agreed to by all parties on 9th July, 2004.

(vi) The Statement
The following text was constructed to become part of the public information brochure to be distributed
nationally. It will be customized and delivered in ways that enable it to be easily absorbed and understood by
the general community and will be published in English, Hindi and Fijian.

181

RESOURCE MATERIAL SERIES No.68

CRIME PREVENTION AND COMMUNITY SAFETYJUSTICE SECTOR OF FIJI
What is the Justice Sector in Fiji?
The Justice sector of Fiji is the formal Government institutions and agencies mandated to administerjustice and enforce the law in this country. The justice sector works together for the common good to
uphold law and order and is accountable to the Government and the people of Fiji.
The principal responsibility of the Justice Sector is preventing crime and making the community safe tolive and work in. It achieves this through vigilance, openness, fairness and impartiality.
Law and order is also a community responsibility undertaken at home, in private, in business and within
the public sector
FIJI JUSTICE SECTOR

Attorney
General’s Office

Ministry ofHome Affairs

Ministry of Justice

Ministry of
Women and Culture

Solicitor GeneralFiji Police

Judicial Department

Social Welfare
Department

Law Reform Commission

Justice Department

Law Revision Commission

Prisons Department

Legal Aid Commission

Director of Public Prosecutions

The Justice Sector is also a dynamic element of government which reflects community needs andvalues in its administration, planning and operations. It is concerned about injustices and seeks to remedy
inequities in the system. It is independent from politics but interdependent within its own sector. It does notclaim perfection but does seek to maintain high standards.
The community has stated a need to maintain respect for the law and also to recognize the importanceof young people in Fiji. The Justice Sector seeks to respond to these calls and encourages reductions in
the levels of violence, particularly family violence, and increasing opportunities for all young people toescape the cycle of poverty.

What does it aim to achieve?
1.

To respond to victims of crime, particularly in the area of family violence, in a manner which
minimizes repeat victimization.
2. To promote crime prevention and law enforcement measures to reduce opportunities for offending
3. To maintain a system of sanctions which effectively deters offenders
4. To contribute to inter-sectoral initiatives aimed at improving support for “at risk” families and youth
to reduce offending over the medium to long term
5. To ensure adherence to Constitutional mandates on human rights and equality
6. To ensure court processes are independent, fair, open, accessible, cost effective and responsive
to the diverse needs of users
7. To improve the integration of justice sector agencies in both policy development, planning andoperational activities
8. To implement an effective policing system
9. To improve the detection and apprehension of offenders through targeting resources
10. To develop strategies and policies which promote adherence to high standards of professionalismand ethics
11. To establish policies to reduce the over-representation of indigenous Fijians in conflict with the182

129TH INTERNATIONAL SENIOR SEMINARPARTICIPANTS’ PAPERS
criminal justice system
12. Improve support for victims of crime and their participation in the criminal justice system
13. To ensure that relevant, timely, accurate information is available and accessible to support theneeds of criminal justice agencies
14. To provide interventions and systems of offender management that contribute to reducing reoffending
15. To support and promote community-based crime prevention initiatives
16. To provide effective rehabilitation, including the need for strong community support
17. To increase opportunities for greater access to justice
The Justice Sector serves everyone and includes the community in all its forms - government, businessand the general public.

The Justice Sector will undertake to:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.

work cooperatively within the sector and with the community
be more efficient and effective
be the best in the region and a role model for other countries
address the problems within the limited resources that are available
measure our performance (through monitoring our performance to determine how effective we are)be responsive to changing circumstances and needs
bring equality before the law
listen to the community in terms of improving ourselves.

We want a safer and more secure Fiji which fosters inclusion and recognizes the multiplicity anddiversity of talents, cultures and ideas that make Fiji a great country to live, learn and work.

Crime Prevention and Community Safety
Crime Prevention and Community Safety is everyone’s responsibility. It can be as simple as locking
your doors or as complex as instilling in your child the values which separate right from wrong.
Community safety is a state of mind. It is being able to walk down the street, night or day, whether you
are a man, woman or child and not be in fear of violence or in apprehension of offensive or indecent
behaviour.
This is where we want to be - even when it means sometimes getting it wrong. As long as we always
try to get it right.

(vii) Agency and organization adoption of key focus areas
The development of the strategic crime prevention and community safety statement was a process ofextensive consultations with the programme’s key partners in the law and justice sectors. By nature of theprocess all stakeholders were kept informed of the development of the strategy and were asked to agree to
key milestones along the way.
At the Law and Justice Sector Coordinating Group Meetings on 26th May, and 29th June 2004, partnerorganizations and agencies adopted the Strategic Statement of Crime Prevention and Community Safety andagreed to incorporate the essence of the key objectives into their plans.
To date this has already occurred with the strategic plans of the Fiji Police and Ministry of Women,
Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare where crime prevention outcomes have been linked directly to corebusiness. As other agencies continue developing their plans they will absorb the key sectoral objectives into
their plans.

VII. CONCLUSION
The duty of preventing crimes cannot be left entirely to the Police. It is clearly evident that a significant
degree of success in this mammoth task can only be achieved through a combined approach involving all
stakeholders adopting a common approach with a shared vision and objective. A society whose members live
and move freely without any fear of crime will be the ultimate goal of such an approach.

183

RESOURCE MATERIAL SERIES No.68

APPENDIX
Table 1: Recorded Crime Figures Associated With Urbanization In Fiji From 1999 - 2004
(Up to Sept.)
1999

2000

2001

2002

2003
(figure up to
Sept.)

2004(up to Sept.)

Larceny

918

866

815

763

648 (514)

562

Burglary

982

861

838

773

727 (536)

592

Damaging Property

1,167

1,193

1,002

1,019

1,003 (753)783House Breaking,Entering and Larceny

1,325

1,569

1,331

1,320

1,230 (1002)

867

Robbery with Violence

719

858

623

794

833 (629)

612

Other Breaking Offences

1087

1112

829

923

811(624)

705

Unlawful Use ofMotor Vehicle

352

412

294

305

326 (256)

255

Drug Offences

521

426

433

417

417 (326)

241

Total

7,071

7,297

6,165

6,314

5,994

4,617

Offence

Table 2: Recorded Figures in 2003 of Offences by Age and Gender
10-16 yrs
Offence

25 yrs and over

Grand
Total

Total

Male

FemaleMale

FemaleMale

FemaleMale

Larceny

7

11

132

18

82

27

221

250

Burglary

1

1

64

1

46

2

111

113

Damaging Property

3

12

198

38

377

50

578

628

House Breaking,Entering and Larceny

20

2

172

1

69

3

261

264

Robbery with Violence

8

2

189

-

154

2

351

353

Other Breaking Offences

16

-

131

1

62

1

209

210

Unlawful Use ofMotor Vehicle

1

-

17

-

11

-

29

29

Drug Offences

6

10

149

20

230

30

385

415

184

Female17-24 yrs

129TH INTERNATIONAL SENIOR SEMINARPARTICIPANTS’ PAPERS

Table 3: Figures Showing Offenders Associated With Liquor (AWL) From 2002 -2003
2002

2003

Offence

AWL

Total

% AWL

AWL

Total

% AWL

Larceny

155

291

53 %

8

490

2%

Damaging Property

96

184

52 %

2

113

2%

House Breaking,Entering and Larceny

119

307

39 %

4

264

28 %

Robbery with Violence

87

307

28 %

6

353

2%

Other Breaking Offences

76

182

42 %

1

210

0%

Unlawful Use ofMotor Vehicle

57

101

56 %

1

122

1%

Drug Offences

198

390

51 %

2

415

0%

Table 4: Recorded Figures Showing Crime Offenders Who Were Unemployed (U/E) in 2002 and 2003
2002

2003

Offence

U/E Offenders

Total

% U/E

U/E Offenders

Total

% U/E

Larceny

144

291

49 %

163

490

32 %

Burglary

86

184

47 %

81

113

72 %

Damaging Property

202

566

36 %

223

628

36 %

HBEL

152

307

50 %

177

264

67 %

Robbery with Violence

171

307

56 %

228

353

65 %

Other Breaking Offences

81

182

45 %

148

210

70 %

Unlawful Use ofMotor Vehicle

38

101

38 %

81

122

66 %

Drug Offences

202

390

52 %

186

415

45 %

185

RESOURCE MATERIAL SERIES No.68

Table 5: Recorded Figures Showing Racial Distribution of Crime Offenders
2002

2003

OffenceFijianIndianOthers

Total

FijianIndianOthers

Total

Larceny

184

66

41

291

195

52

3

250

Burglary

137

16

31

184

90

19

4

113

Damaging Property

365

173

28

566

405

207

16

628

HBEL

234

46

27

307

204

54

6

264

Robbery with Violence

224

28

55

307

310

36

7

353

Other Breaking Offences

122

38

22

182

156

49

5

210

Unlawful Use ofMotor Vehicle

70

17

14

101

106

15

1

122

Drug Offences

303

75

12

390

311

89

15

415

Total

1639

459

230

2328

1777

521

57

2355

Table 6: Recorded Figures of Victim to Crimes by Race in 2002 & 2003
2002

2003

OffenceFijian Indian Others Company Govt.

Total

Fijian Indian Others Company Govt.

Total

Larceny

187

329

98

614

165

393

87

3

648

Burglary

157

547

69

773

163

446

113

3

725

Damaging
Property

240

557

51

1019

269

583

64

62

HBEL

428

714

178

1320

366

711

149

11

1237

Robbery withViolence

73

609

84

28

794

79

626

109

19

833

Other Breaking
Offences

98

254

193

286

923

136

344

72

236

Unlawful Use ofMotor Vehicle

45

214

31

15

305

35

256

27

8

104

Drug Offences
Total

186

1294

3606

720

433

67

92

417

417

576

5965

1312

3570

625

346

25

23

1003

811

326
417

417

465

6024

129TH INTERNATIONAL SENIOR SEMINARPARTICIPANTS’ PAPERS

Table 7: Recorded Crime Cases Detected in 2003 and 2004 (up to September
2003

2004 (up to September)

Offence

Total Cases Cases Detected%

Total Cases Cases Detected%

Larceny

648

233

34 %

562

151

27 %

Burglary

727

100

14 %

592

63

11 %

Damaging Property

1003

595

59 %

783

385

49 %

HBEL

1237

214

17 %

867

157

18 %

Robbery with Violence

833

225

27 %

612

145

24 %

Other Breaking Offences

811

152

19 %

705

125

18 %

Unlawful Use ofMotor Vehicle

326

85

26 %

255

62

24 %

Drug Offences

417

394

94 %

241

223

93 %

187