15 Feb 2007: ISS Today: Jamaica Looks at Innovative Ways to Combat Crime and Violence

15 February 2007: Jamaica Looks at Innovative Ways to Combat Crime and Violence (1)

 

Jamaica has one of the highest homicides rates in the world. Over the last five years the security situation has worsened, with the homicide rates increasing from 50/100,000 in 2004 to 63/100,000 in 2005. Subsequently, Kingston, the capital and largest city in Jamaica, has experienced an increase in violent crimes in which firearms feature prominently.  The crime patterns are similar to those in many other countries with high levels of urban armed violence, such as South Africa.  For example, in Jamaica, the majority of victims of violent crime are young men, with most murders committed between 20h00 and 24h00pm, particularly over the weekend. In South Africa, the leading external cause of death for males is violence, with most violent deaths, including firearm related deaths, occurring on weekends between 20h00 and to 24h00. Such data provides important information on when and by what means violent crime occurs.

 

One of the tools that have been used to better understand the nature of the crime and thereby reduce gun crime in particular, has been the systematic collection and analysis of crime data at local level.  Learning from examples of effective crime reduction strategies from other countries such as Colombia and Wales, the Violence Prevention Alliance in Kingston, Jamaica formed the Crime Observatory in 2006. The Crime Observatory is made up of individuals representing a variety of stakeholders, from government departments, NGOs, community associations and the private sector. The main function of the Observatory is to use scientifically driven data sources to prevent and manage crime and violence in specific locations such as Kingston Western and Kingston Central. One of its functions is to identify “hot spots” using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology in order to map patterns of crime and violence in a particular geographic area. Once the data has been analysed and interpreted, the police and other roleplayers will be able to develop more appropriate intervention strategies and crime reduction/prevention programmes. This in turn should enable the Observatory more rapidly to monitor the impact of any interventions and assess whether or not they are working, and whether or not to adapt or sustain existing crime prevention initiatives.

 

An important innovation of the initiative is the recognition that a range of data sources are required in order to accurately assess and identify the nature and extent of crime in any one location: to this end the police crime data will be overlaid with data from other agencies such as the health department (which often has more accurate data on both death and injury) as well as local sources of data such as churches, NGOs and community organisations.  In addition to the data gathering exercise, the Crime Observatory also initiates a range of community focused projects such as organising structured sporting activities in high-risk communities during high-risk periods such as weekends. Another example is the community safety and skills training scholarship offered by the Ministry of National Security to provide at-risk youth (aged between 15-25 years) in communities affected by crime and violence the opportunity to receive skills training relevant to the job market. These initiatives have just begun and it will be interesting to monitor their impact and success.

 

Adelé Kirsten, Research Associate, Arms Management Programme, ISS Tshwane (Pretoria)

1. Violence Prevention Alliance, Jamaica. Crime Observatory Newsletter, Vol 1, Issue 1. November 2006