Inclusive justice goes beyond the courtroom, says Pro Bono SG chairman

“You need to go that extra mile to win trust. You need to find patience. So, it’s adapting your style, perhaps giving more of your free time.” 

While the work can be demanding, Mr Dhillon said it is also deeply rewarding. 

“You feel very rewarded by what you do, the gap you fill, the difference you make, not just to the individual … it has a ripple effect for their family. It goes on and it can change lives,” he said. 

RESPONSIBILITY BEYOND THE COURTS 

Mr Dhillon stressed that creating a more inclusive justice system is not solely the responsibility of lawyers and judges. 

He expressed concerns about the growing tendency to film unusual incidents in public and post them online without understanding the circumstances behind a person’s behaviour. 

He urged the public to be compassionate and consider whether someone may be experiencing a mental health episode or disability-related crisis. 

“(For) example – a person might have bipolar (disorder) and if he is going through psychosis, he may be violent. And it’s going (be) way harder for that person to heal when he comes to and realises that this is now public,” he said. 

Mr Dhillon said public education is crucial in helping Singaporeans better understand invisible disabilities and respond with empathy rather than judgment. 

At the same time, he emphasised that disabilities do not excuse wrongdoing or erase the harm suffered by victims. However, he argued that a person’s condition must be properly considered when determining an appropriate sentence. 

“There’s no justice if you don’t take into account the condition, if you don’t take time to understand that when (this person) committed that crime, that wasn’t him or her, that was the illness,” he said. 

In some cases, treatment and rehabilitation may be more appropriate than imprisonment, he added.  

“The medical and rehabilitative aspects must come in as a matter of justice. That’s critical for the judge to weigh in when deciding what’s the appropriate sentence,” he said. 

Ultimately, Mr Dhillon sees inclusive justice as a reflection of the kind of society Singapore aspires to be. 

“In very affluent Singapore, we have done very well as a nation. But what does happiness, progress and prosperity as a nation really mean?” he asked. 

“Being able to look out for those who are the least among us is going to make us much stronger.”