Engaging Youth to Prevent Offending and Reoffending is the theme of this year’s Crime Awareness Month, which will be observed from November 1 to 30.
The Criminal Justice Research and Planning Unit (CJRPU) and the National Peace Program (NPP) will host several activities during the month. Stakeholders and the public will have an opportunity to participate in the events, which will assist in building awareness of crime and violence and what is being done to address these issues.
A poster competition for primary and secondary school children between ages 8 and 16 will be launched by the CJRPU on Friday, November 1. The objective is to empower young people to advocate for violence prevention in schools.
Keeping our School Environment Safe is its theme, and children are expected to create posters that focus on violence prevention in schools and communities.
On Sunday, November 3, there will be a prayer event to bring together at-risk youth, community leaders and change agents in a spirit of unity and inspiration.
There will be a breakfast meeting on Wednesday, November 6, at Courtyard Marriott, Hastings, Christ Church, to release the findings of a national study that measured the Barbadian public’s attitudes, satisfaction, and experiences with The Barbados Police Service. The survey was conducted by CJRPU, and Professor Dwayne Devonish will make the presentation.
A Speak Off Competition will be held on Saturday, November 9, at Starcom Network, in Studio 3. The competition will be live on VOB 92.9, from 6:00 p.m.
Young people are expected to gather in Kensington Mall car park, Fontabelle, St. Michael, on Saturday, November 16, for the CJRPU and NPP’s Youth Community Tournament. It will feature young people displaying their culinary skills and artistic skill with makeup, and more.
Members of the public may attend the webinar on Wednesday, November 20, from 10:00 a.m. to noon, to release the findings of an updated Recidivism Study, which measured the level of reoffending among a cohort of inmates released from the Barbados Prison Service.
During the month, CJRPU will host a Strategic Planning Meeting for stakeholders on Data in Evidence-Based Policies and Programmes, as well as Data Standardisation in Reducing Youth Violence and Crime. Additionally, the CJRPU and NPP will host a Youth Awards Ceremony to highlight the excellent work of young people.
The celebrations will climax on Friday, November 29, with a pre-Independence community social event at Hoyte’s Playing Field, Hoytes Village, St. James. There will be a cultural presentation by the Haynesville Youth group, T10 cricket match and much more. The event will begin at 6.00 p.m. and the public is invited to attend.
Crime Awareness Month is observed annually to build awareness of community-based crime and violence and possible solutions, and to offer and highlight positive activities, programmes, and pathways that provide alternatives to crime, such as sports and other outdoor events.
In addition, young people are given an opportunity to be actively involved in discussions and activities that promote crime prevention awareness and help them understand their role in creating safer communities, among other things.