Page 34 - Violence Prevention Through the Engagement of Violence Producers

THE CSJP III VIOLENCE INTERRUPTION PROGRAMME

BACKGROUND

Over the period 2015 to 2019, CSJP III contracted the two organizations, PMI East and PMI
West to deliver violence interruption services to volatile communities across the country.

The Community Safety and Security Unit of the Ministry of National Security selected
the communities based on the level of homicides and shootings experienced in these

areas. Commencing in May 2015, PMI East delivered violence interruption services to
ten communities in the St Catherine North Police Division and the programme was later

expanded to Clarendon and the KMA. By 2018, the organization was in 22 communities
across the three parishes. At the other end of the country, PMI West commenced service

delivery to ten communities in St James in September 2015 later expanded to Westmoreland
and Hanover. By 2018 services were being delivered to 26 communities across the three

parishes. While most of the 48 communities in both regions were receiving CSJP III services,
there were some in which CSJP III had no presence but they were included in the VIP
due to their levels of gang conflicts and their link to CSJP III communities by way of gang

violence. Dr Gayle’s assessment of the VIP gives a very comprehensive analysis of the
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features of the communities including their human “ecology”, levels of violence and
extent of social service provision. The overall picture was that of communities marked by

concentrated poverty, marginalization and endemic violence invariably involving gangs.
Table 5 presents a list of the communities and the year in which they were added to the
VIP.

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28 Op cit.
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