Project Info:
In 1990 a senior judge in the Brazilian state of Amapa created the Justice Boat,
a floating courtroom that took the judicial process to the isolated communities of
the Bailique Archipelago, a cluster of islands that lie at the mouth of the Amazon River.
Since then the boat has evolved into a floating state and an invaluable asset to the
inhabitants of Bailique. Before the boat's arrival health and social security facilities
were almost non-existant and most villagers were unregistered with the state so were
unable to receive any social or financial assistance.
A whole gamut of state representatives travel on the boat: land registry, police, health,
social security, water and sewage, army, work ministry and the Pastoral da Crianca,
a national program for children.
The justice system still dominates on the boat though and judges are given unique powers
to resolve land conflicts, criminal cases and other matters much quicker than the state court in Macapa.
