•    You have the right to life. Liberty and security of the person except in accordance with section 8 of the Constitution.

•    The State must observe your human rights 

•    The right to equality before the law 

•    Everyone has a right to protection from search of the person and property 

•    Any person arrested or detained has the right to communicate with his spouse, partner or family member, religious counsellor and a medical practitioner of his choice.

•    The rights and freedom of others must be respected by you.

•    If you are charged with an offence you are entitled to be tried within a reasonable time.  

•    A person arrested or detained is entitled to be informed in a language he understands the reason for his arrest or detention. This must be done as soon as practicable after the arrest or detention. 

•    Any person awaiting trial and kept in custody shall be entitled to bail on reasonable conditions unless, sufficient cause is shown for keeping him in custody. 

•    Any person deprived of his liberty shall be treated humanely and with respect for the inherent dignity of the person.

•    No person must be deprived of his liberty as a consequence of his unfitness to plea to a criminal charge, except on reasonable grounds and in accordance with fair procedures established by law.

•    You have the right to freedom of thought, conscience, belief and observance of political doctrines.
•    The right to freedom of movement, that is to say, the right;

  1. Of every citizen of Jamaica to enter Jamaica,
  2. Of every person lawfully in Jamaica, to move around freely throughout Jamaica, to reside in any part of Jamaica and to leave Jamaica.

The right to freedom from discrimination on the grounds of;

Being male or female;

Race place or origin, class, colour, religion and political opinion

The right to everyone to:

Protection from search of the person and property 

Children’s Rights

It is the right of every child 

To such measure of protection as are required by virtue of the status of being a minor, or as part of the family, society and the state.

Every child who is a citizen of Jamaica is entitled to publicly funded tuition in a public educational institution at the pre-primary and primary level.

NB. Under Jamaican laws any person under the age of 18 years is a child. The age of Criminal Discretion in Jamaica is 12 years and over. Accordingly, any child 12 years and above can be charged with a criminal offence.