Barbadians are being urged to move from fear to empowerment as the Criminal Justice Research and Planning Unit (CJRPU) launches Crime Awareness Month with a renewed focus on community participation, youth engagement and data-driven prevention strategies.
Director of the Unit Cheryl Willoughby said the initiative, which has been observed for 25 years, has evolved significantly in response to changing crime patterns, adding that authorities can no longer limit outreach to schools alone or rely solely on traditional law-enforcement channels.
Speaking in an interview on Thursday, Willoughby explained that research conducted by the Unit showed that many residents continued to harbour a deep concern about crime and violence, even in circumstances where the fear might outweigh the statistical reality. She said empowering communities with information and supporting youth involvement in positive activities were central to reducing anxiety and preventing offending behaviour.
“Our research gleaned that in some communities persons have a fear of crime or of being victims of crime. We determined that we needed to be out there in the community speaking to people about that fear, alleviating that fear through encouraging them to get involved in community activities,” she said.
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