The National Law and Justice Policy and Plan of Action (2000)
The Policy adopts the concept of 'restorative justice' to reshape the law and justice sector. It entails a shift towards a justice system that is more community-orientated and problem solving in approach, one wherein the interests of victims are employed to reintegrate offenders within their communities. Such developments rely on improving and reorientating the conventional formal justice system to enhance open and accountable core capacities and increase engagement with the community.
A difficulty with realising the policy's full potential is the lack of information about, and experiential understandings of customary/community-based justice resolutions as they are widely practised throughout PNG. This framework recognises the need for extensive community consultation around restorative and customary justice resolution practices, as well as the need for research to document and evaluate community justice processes, to complement the planning and development of the National policy.
Three Pillars
The Policy is organised around three pillars as follows:
(a) Improving the Efficiency of the Deterrence System
Strengthening the formal law and justice agencies to meet constitutional and statutory obligations, especially to deter crime and maintain the rule of law; while at the same time building engagement between the formal and informal stakeholders in the sector.
(b) Sector-wide Coordination
Building a sectoral approach to law and justice recognises the high level of interdependence between agencies comprising the sector. There is a need for consistency in implementation of the Policy and the sector approach will enhance this. Coordination needs to occur between agencies, between different levels of government, and across different kinds of stakeholders, particularly between those in government and civil society.
The sector approach, as reflected in the Sector Strategic Framework, is community-led and government sponsored, while being inclusive of other particular stakeholders. It aims to move beyond the weakness of past approaches involving uncoordinated programs of individual government agencies and other stakeholders within the sector, and isolated and fragmented development projects that lack sufficient community ownership and participation.
In particular the recognition of community-based resolution processes as central deliverers of justice, and comparable foci for sector planning and investment means a repositioning of previous approaches to sectoral integration.
A key aspect of this repositioning entails the deliberate nurturing of partnerships between the law and justice agencies and community, civil society and private sector stakeholders.
(c) Crime Prevention and Restorative Justice
Promoting crime prevention and restorative justice interventions throughout the formal and informal components of the sector. The policy acknowledges the significant role that communities throughout PNG play in the prevention and resolution of local level disputes. Recognising and developing informal law and justice initiatives is an essential and core part of PNG's law and justice policy. It involves building community capacity in order to provide a more holistic, integrated and sustainable approach to prevention and management of crime and conflict.
Sector Strategic Framework
The Law and Justice Sector Strategic Framework identifies a vision, and set of goals, strategies and priorities to guide and integrate efforts to develop a more just, safe and secure society in Papua New Guinea.
The Sector Strategic Framework represents a focal point for planning within the sector, supporting the National Law and Justice Sector Policy and Plan of Action (2000) (the Policy). The Policy emphasizes that addressing Papua New Guinea's significant law and justice issues requires:
- A shift towards a 'restorative' approach to justice;
- Empowerment of the community to participate in solving law and justice issues, and in the delivery of sustainable solutions;
- Better performance from the formal agencies; and
- An integrated, sector based approach.
Together with the National Law and Justice Sector Policy and Plan of Action, this Sector Strategic Framework guides a reform program for law and justice. It not only reinforces a new vision of justice, but represents one of the cornerstones of an improved process of planning (the Sector Approach).
The sector approach coordinates the involvement of multiple stakeholders in law and justice within an overarching planning framework. Key stakeholders include national, provincial and local governments, communities, families and civil society in PNG, the private sector and donors.
Another dimension of positive change reflected in the Sector Strategic Framework is support for the government's public sector reform agenda that aims to improve the quality of governance both within and across different arms of government in order to improve services and reduce costs. This recognises the necessity for good governance and stable and inclusive state service delivery as a precondition for secure and engaged communities.
The preparation of the Sector Strategic Framework occurred after extensive assessment and planning with individual government agencies, and after widespread consultation with the peoples of PNG and the private sector about future directions, and the process and management of change.
A copy of the Sector Strategic Framwork can be downloaded from 
Law and Justice Sector Strategic Framework (98KB)
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