Plural Regulatory Systems and Access to Justice in Small Island Developing States – A Tuvalu Case Study

• In Event: Policy Panel: Plural Policing in the Global South: Navigating hybridity and security partnerships

Abstract

Small island developing states present unique challenges and opportunities for law enforcement. Strong communal ties, social and cultural norms, limited state visibility and strained resources impact on interpretations and application of state laws. Such contexts also facilitate community-oriented approaches to policing and tailored law enforcement responses informed by the acknowledgement or parallel regulatory systems with local legitimacy. This paper presents the findings of interviews with religious leaders, police and community leaders from Tuvalu to show how the existence of plural systems of law and order maintenance impact on policing. It further highlights the significance of informal networks in influencing policing decisions and the implications for the actioning of the access to justice agenda, primarily around issues of use of police authority, equitable law enforcement practices, accountability and fairness. The findings are useful to discourses on plural policing in small island developing states and its impact on access to justice.

Authors

• Danielle Watson, Queensland University of Technology

• Sara N. Amin, University of the South Pacific

• Tanya Trussler, Mount Royal University