The National Committee on Criminal Justice Reforms (NCCJR) was launched to spearhead comprehensive review and reform of Kenya’s Criminal Justice system in the Country. The committee is expected to review the criminal justice system in Kenya and make legal, policy, institutional, operational, and administrative recommendations necessary for better functioning of the criminal justice sub-sector.
The committee chaired by High Court Judge Grace Ngenye is expected to oversee the full implementation of the findings and recommendations of the Criminal Justice system in Kenya: An Audit. It will examine all aspects of criminal justice reform including but not limited to arrest, investigation, policing, prosecution, adjudication, and sentencing including non-custodial sentences, incarceration, aftercare and re-entry.
The Taskforce terms of reference:
- Review the criminal justice system in Kenya and make legal, policy, institutional, operational, and administrative recommendations necessary for better functioning of the criminal justice sub-sector.
- Establish and design mechanisms to ensure that Kenya’s criminal justice system operates in a manner consistent and compliant with the provisions of the Constitution, 2010.
- Identify legal, institutional, administrative and financial barriers that impede the efficient functioning of the criminal justice system.
- Identify areas of inter-agency collaboration and cooperation that would make the criminal justice system effective in serving members of the public.
- Identify and review laws and policies that criminalize petty offences and make recommendations on their declassification and reclassification.
- Review Kenya’s penal laws.
- In consultation with the NCAJ agencies, develop, operationalize and oversee the execution of a comprehensive implementation framework/strategy/plan of the CJS Audit Report.
- Undertake any study or survey to deepen and expand understanding on Kenya’s criminal justice system.
- Conduct sensitization sessions among relevant stakeholders and the public on the contents of the audit report and engage them on the criminal justice reform initiative.
- Engage other relevant state and/or non-state agencies in realizing the desired results of the audit findings implementation.
Membership is drawn from:
- Commission on Administrative Justice
- Council of Governors Secretariat
- Department of Children Service
- Directorate of Criminal Investigation
- Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission
- Federation of Women Lawyers
- Immigrations
- Independent Policing Oversight Authority
- International Commission of Jurists
- Judiciary
- Judiciary Training Institute
- Kenya Defence Forces (Military Marshal Court)
- Kenya Human Rights Commission
- Kenya Law Reform Commission
- Kenya National Commission on Human Rights
- Kenya Prison Service
- Law Society of Kenya
- Legal Resources Foundation
- Ministry of Health (Mathare Mental Hospital)
- National Council on the Administration of Justice Secretariat
- National Crime Research Centre
- National Legal Aid
- National Police Service
- Office of Director of Public Prosecutions
- Office of the Attorney General
- Probation and Aftercare Service
- Resources Oriented Development Initiatives
- The Cradle
- Witness Protection Agency