Deficit identified in crime prevention programmes

A 2016 study has pointed to an over-reliance on law enforcement as part of Barbados’ crime prevention strategy.

The revelation from Director of the University of the West Indies’ Centre for Criminal Justice and Security, Professor Corin Bailey.

He said while this is not uncommon for countries in the Caribbean, local efforts also featured a deficit in secondary prevention programmes.

Those refer to initiatives which intervene at an early stage to prevent violence from accelerating, while primary programmes aim to prevent crime from happening in the first place.

Based on information collected from inmates, Professor Bailey presented data showing that 27 percent of inmates not being able to find a job would be the biggest challenge faced upon release to avoid recidivism.

21 percent indicated it would be because they could not stay away from drugs.

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