Page 33 - Preventing Youth Violence

been realised from the broad-brush approach to treatment, which had characterised
the delivery of services to beneficiaries under Phases I and II of the Programme. Although

fewer beneficiaries have accessed the CSJP services under the case management system
than those who received tertiary and secondary scholarship support under Phases I and

II, the impact has been tremendous as case officers provide mentorship, motivational
interviewing, consistent monitoring and at times even voluntary out of pocket assistance to

ensure clients remain compliant with the goals in their case plans. Case officers and clients
had jointly developed these case plan goals in accordance with the client’s criminogenic

needs identified after a rigorous assessment process.

At the end of Phases I and II, the Programme embarked on a strategic shift in an effort to
address the issues of crime and violence in the Jamaican society in a more targeted way.

Although the CSJP reviews were favourable, it was determined that a multi-service and
collaborative approach had to be taken. In 2014, when the third and final phase of the

CSJP III commenced, a paradigm shift therefore occurred in the delivery of services. The
PEU determined that it would implement a case management system to address the two

critical issues that CSJP faced in its crime reduction and prevention efforts across the 50

communities it serves. These issues were:
1. The need for an assessment process to identify youth who are high risk for
perpetrating crime

2. The absence of a mechanism to evaluate the contribution of the CSJP to reducing

crime and violence, which was increasing among the youth cohort that it served.

Intentional activities included research by the PSU into case management literature

and current case management systems within government and quasi-government

organizations, assessment and evaluation of the available risk assessment instruments,
and the training of staff. Case management was seen as the preferred methodology for
service delivery as it brings a structured diagnostic approach to working with clients and

provides the case officers with a platform from which the family, and the community to a

lesser extent, could be included in treating with the individual.

Extensive research in case management and risk assessment was conducted by the

PEU and various risk assessment instruments were tested for suitability for working with

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