The Caribbean Policy Research Institute, CAPRI, says research suggests that social intervention measures have little impact on violence-plagued communities in Jamaica.
CAPRI Director of Research, Dr Diana Thorburn, was presenting the findings of research the entity conducted in August Town, which has for decades struggled to contain violent crimes.
Stevian Simmonds reports.
Dr Thorburn says CAPRI noted that the troubled community recorded zero murders in 2016.
She says August Town, like many local communities, have a history of political violence, where gangs are beholden to politicians.
But, Dr Thorburn says violence in Jamaica has evolved.
She says gang violence is now centred around power struggles, money and reprisal killings.
Dr Thorburn notes that on a per capita basis, August Town has one of the highest rates of social intervention measures.
But, she says little effort has been made to evaluate the measures and determine their success rate.
And, Dr Thorburn says social intervention does not impact the violence in local communities like August Town.
She says the crime bosses may also interfere in social intervention measures.
In the meantime, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Crime, Fitz Bailey, says gaining the trust of residents and creating organizational structures are key to maintaining peace in communities.
Acting DCP Bailey, who’s a former Divisional Head of the St Andrew Central Police, recalls an incident in 2014, in which nine persons including a baby, were shot.
He says he made a commitment that such an incident would never happen again in Jamaica.
Fitz Bailey, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police in Charge of Crime.
He was addressing a CAPRI anti-violence intervention report launch at the UWI Mona Visitors’ Lodge last evening.
