Caca Trials Pros And Cons

Local gacaca trials offers these benefits of a more personal setting within the community in which the atrocity took place, and this has further benefits – increased unity and reconciliation. Seeing as how the gacaca form of justice aims to reintegrate the defendant back into society to become a productive and contributive member, it makes sense that the trials are held within the community – so that the victim and perpetrator can be in the same space and have justice be served while also allowing the perpetrator to confess to his or her crimes and express remorse so that both sides can reconcile and have the perpetrator reintegrate into society. This type of justice system, its supporters believe, has the effect of “encouraging apology and forgiveness, and promoting reconciliation in the country (Graybill 1123).” In addition, defendants are encouraged to confess and own up to their crimes, and in return their sentences are cut in half, while “the gacaca courts will be releasing most of the suspects they try back into the community, crediting them with time served (Graybill
This follows the long tradition of gacaca procedure and it clearly was an important part given that it was made the law. Finally, it is also important that the trials are held locally because it means that the trials are handled entirely by the local population. One of the downsides of an alternative form of seeking justice for human rights abuses in which there is an international tribunal or court, is that the power to charge, try and sentence the criminals is taken out of the hands of the local population – including the victims of the crimes committed by those criminals. Therefore, by keeping the decision-making process at the local level, the power remains in the hands of the locals. This is important because it allows the local population to determine the proper sentencing and reintegration plan for their fellow citizen, rather than prosecutors and judges appointed by foreign