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Citizens Security and Justice programme to address crime / violence
Jan 28, 2016 - 2:40:32 PM

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NASSAU, The Bahamas -- The Government of The Bahamas will borrow $20 million from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for the implementation of the new Citizen Security and Justice Programme.

The Programme is designed to assist with reducing crime and violence in The Bahamas and will include rigorous monitoring and evaluation that will help to assess the impact of the actions that will be undertaken on the communities.

It is expected to assist with reducing crime and violence in The Bahamas by targeting at-risk youth and by strengthening the institutional capabilities of the justice system. It will also provide a mechanism to institutionalise a framework for community security, integrating the promising and most successful components and strategies developed throughout the region.

Minister of National Security, Dr. the Hon Bernard J. Nottage, said the Programme will work towards reducing risk factors for crime and violence by funding and facilitating community-based social interventions that include parenting support, anti-violence initiatives, and after-school programmes – all with the goal of “diverting people away from crime and violence.”

“The Programme is an approach to crime and violence prevention that will couple innovative, human-centred support to communities with more traditional crime prevention support to the Royal Bahamas Police. This approach to crime is aimed to make communities an integral part of crime prevention,” Dr. Nottage said.

“The fight against crime is part of an integrated approach in the Government’s effort to accomplish the goal of a better life for the citizenry. Improving the quality of life also means improving conditions of safety and security of the people in their homes, in their communities and in their places of work.”

The National Security Minister said communities will serve as focal points for the resolution of conflicts; the articulation of community needs and as the “conduit of necessary resources to address the same.”  Training in violence prevention ranging from domestic violence prevention to certified counselling and mediation courses will be provided.

“We look forward to getting our communities to commit to working to achieve community attachment, social cohesion and safer, more productive communities, that are intent on contributing to national development and sustainability of The Bahamas,” Dr. Nottage said.

“We are only going to realise such transformation through partnering with, and empowering the communities themselves.”

Officials at the Ministry of National Security, in conjunction with facilitators from the Inter-American Development Bank, collaborated with stakeholders from both the private and public sectors for the exchange of information and views on crime and security issues in The Bahamas and suggested approaches to addressing those crime and security challenges, in developing the programme.

While the general objective of the Programme is to contribute to a reduction in crime and violence in The Bahamas, specific objectives of the Programme are to improve behaviours for non-violent conflict resolution in New Providence; increase employability and employment of the at-risk youth population in New Providence; strengthen institutional capabilities of justice services and reduce the recidivism rate amongst persons within the prison system.

The Programme is comprised of four components: Component 1:  Social Crime and Violence Prevention in New Providence - $4.8 million (24% of the loan); Component 2: Youth employability and employment training and strengthening of the Public Employment Services (PES) - $4 million (20% of the loan); Component 3:  Strengthening of the justice administration system - $5.6 million (28% of the loan) and Component 4: Rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders - $3.2 million (17% of the loan).

Just under 10 per cent of the load ($1.7 million) has been allocated for the Administration of the Programme along with a Contingency of $454,200 (which represents two per cent of the loan).

“The Government of The Bahamas has committed to promoting a sustainable national crime agenda which incorporates effective crime prevention, detention, prosecution and rehabilitation strategies, while addressing social issues associated with a recent upward trend in violent crimes,” Dr. Nottage added.


Remarks by Hon. Dr. Bernard Nottage, M.P. Minister of National Security Debate on Resolution to Borrow $20 Million From the Inter-American Development Bank For The Citizen Security and Justice Programme BU at The House of Assembly Wednesday 27th January, 2016:


Mr Speaker:

We have witnessed a steady increase in crime and violence rates in The Bahamas. Many of the victims have been young males who were killed with firearms. For example, of the 123 murders recorded in 2014, 105 (85%) of them were committed by firearms.  Males accounted for 112 (91%) of the victims.  Most of the victims fell within the 18-25 age group. Recent statistics point to a prevalence of violence to solve inter-personal and community disputes, especially among youth. This is occurring in a context of high unemployment rates, slow court systems and high rates of recidivism.

Following extensive research and consultations with a wide range of stakeholders  to address the aforementioned  challenges, agreement was reached on a programme entitled the Citizen Security and Justice Programme for presentation to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to finance its implementation.

In July 2015 the Executive Board of the IDB approved a US$20 million loan and  I am pleased to speak in support of the resolution for the Government of The Bahamas to borrow the US $20 million for the financing of the loan to implement the Citizen Security and Justice Programme .

The Programme will assist with reducing crime and violence in The Bahamas, by targeting at risk youths and strengthening institutional capabilities of the justice system. It will also provide a mechanism to institutionalize a framework for community security, integrating the promising and most successful components and strategies developed throughout the region.

The general objective of the Programme is to contribute to a reduction in crime and violence in The Bahamas. The specific objectives are to:

  1.     improve behaviours for non-violent conflict resolution in New Providence;
  2.     increase employability and employment of the at-risk youth population in New Providence;
  3.     strengthen institutional capabilities of justice services; and
  4.     reduce the recidivism rate among persons within the prison system.


The Programme is comprised of four (4) components.

Component 1:  Social Crime and Violence Prevention in New Providence - $4.8 million (24% of the loan)

This component seeks to improve behaviours for non-violent conflict resolution in New Providence. A total of ?? or ??% of the murders in 2014 were retaliation killings between persons who could not resolve their conflicts peaceably.  We have recognized the importance of expanding our focus to not only include the traditional reliance on enforcement buy also directing the correct amount of our efforts to prevention.

This component will include differentiated evidence-based interventions (delivered in association with local Non-Governmental Organizations, schools, among other  local partners) in order to prevent interpersonal violence. This will include the following activities:

  1.     training activities provided to youth, adults, and local leaders to address norms that promote acceptance of violence (e.g. parenting, gender norms, rape risk reduction programmes, public awareness and behaviour change campaigns, as well as counselling and conflict resolution delivered through refurbished centres);
  2.     school-based violence prevention activities (which will seek to improve social skills, address anger management and increase conflict resolution skills, as well as to foster caring, supportive relationships among youth); and
  3.     youth violence interruption activities (which will seek a public health approach addressing violence as a learned behaviour which can be prevented using disease control methods).

Component 2: Youth employability and employment training and strengthening of the Public Employment Services (PES) - $4 million (20% of the loan)

This component aims to increase employability and employment among at-risk youths (ages 15-29 years) in New Providence. According to the Department of Statistics, the unemployment rate of young people between ages 15-24 stood at 25.3% as of May 2015.  By November 2015, this rate increased to 30%.  It is clear that a young person growing up in our country today must have an opportunity to get an education, receive job skills, and have a fair chance of getting a job in order to lead a productive life and stay clear of adopting the culture of violence that is pervasive among many of our region's youths.

Interventions include:

  1.     training for employability programme for at-risk youth, focusing on the development of soft skills (responsibility, degree of commitment, teamwork-building, persistence, and self-control), training through community development projects and remedial education (literacy and numeracy skills) for 1,000 beneficiaries;
  2.     comprehensive demand-driven training for employment with special emphasis in the Hospitality and Retail sectors for 1,600 at-risk youth; and
  3.     capacity building of the Public Employment Service under the Ministry of Labour, which will include enhancements to the Electronic Labour Exchange (employment portal), staff training, engagement of employers, refurbishing of PES offices, and development of youth targeted services (an initial assessment study of the existing PES services will precede these activities).

     
Component 3.  Strengthening of the justice administration system - $5.6 million (28% of the loan)

This component seeks to address the institutional shortcomings of the justice administration system to prosecute and sentence crimes successfully and in a timely manner.  In her remarks at the Opening of the Legal Year on January 13, 2015, the Attorney General reminded that an historic backlog of over 1,000 cases has loomed.  The Attorney General also stated that during 2015, there were 7 murder cases concluded within one year of charge. We commend the Swift Justice Initiative and understand the need to provide support to our partners within the Office Attorney General who are working extremely hard to reverse the growth of the backlog despite a growing caseload.    

The main activities envisioned under this component include:

  1.        design and implementation of an integrated electronic system for case  management, digital recording and scheduling;
  2.         design and support for a pilot for a Public Defender Programme (including business analysis expertise, provision of legal services by selected attorneys, and minor office refurbishing); and
  3.         design and support for a pilot Restorative Justice (RJ) system (including drafting of RJ framework, training and stipend for RJ facilitators and minor refurbishing of office space).
  

Component 4: Rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders - $3.2 million (17% of the loan)

This component seeks to improve the effectiveness of the Department of Correctional Services (BDOCS) and the Department of Rehabilitative Welfare Services (DRWS) in reducing offender recidivism at the national level.  According to its 2014 Annual Report, the Department of Correctional Services recorded a 13% recidivism rate for 2014, an increase from an 8% recidivism rate recorded in 2013.  

This component will include support for the following activities:

  1.         design and implementation of a comprehensive rehabilitation model, including a programme model and curriculum built on evidence-based practices (such as cognitive behavioural therapy, multi-systemic therapy, vocational training, and educational programmes)
  2.     design and implementation of a case management and monitoring system to identify risks and needs, provide treatment and manage cases (these tools will aim to support the BDOCS and the DRWS to increase treatment matching and programme quality);
  3.     development and implementation of a continuous and flexible training curriculum for BDOCS and DRWS to facilitate knowledge gain and build the necessary skills associated with using evidence based practices for the effective management of offenders; and
  4.     expansion of the BDOCS reintegration programmes.


The Programme will include rigorous monitoring and evaluation that will help to assess the impact of these actions on the communities.


$1.7 million (9%) has been allocated for the Administration of the Programme along with a Contingency of $454,200 (2%).

Mr. Speaker:

In developing the Citizen Security and Justice Programme, the Ministry of National Security in conjunction with facilitators from the Inter-American Development Bank collaborated with stakeholders from both the private and public sectors for the exchange of information and views on crime and security issues in The Bahamas and suggested approaches to addressing the crime and security challenges.

I take this opportunity to thank all stakeholders who have assisted in the development of the Citizen Security and Justice Programme. In particular I wish to thank the Bank’s former Country Representative to The Bahamas, Ms. Astrid Wynter, and the Chief Operations Officer, Mrs Sharon Miller, both of whom provided invaluable support during the process that eventually cumulated with the Programme being approved by the Bank for funding. I also take this opportunity to again welcome the current Country Representative, Ms. Florencia Attademo-Hirt and Chief Operations Officer, Mr. Michael Nelson forward to a very productive working relationship with them in the implementation of the Programme.

Mr. Speaker:

The fight against crime is part of an integrated approach in the Government’s effort to accomplish the goal of a better life for the citizenry. Improving the quality of life also means improving conditions of safety and security of the people in their homes, in their communities and in their places of work.

A total of 9 officials from my Ministry as well as those from partner agencies have successfully completed an extensive 8-week Project Management Associate Course hosted by the IDB.  Graduates now possess the skills to assist in the proper management of projects of this magnitude.   

The Citizen Security and Justice Programme will work towards reducing risk factors for crime and violence.  With the goal of diverting people away from crime, the Programme will fund community based social interventions which include parenting support, anti-violence initiatives, and after-school programmes

The Programme is an approach to crime and violence prevention that will couple innovative, human-centered support to communities with more traditional crime prevention support to the Royal Bahamas Police. This approach to crime is aimed to make communities an integral part of crime prevention.
        

Communities will serve as focal points for the resolution of conflicts, the articulation of community needs and as the conduit of necessary resources to address the same.  Training in violence prevention ranging from domestic violence prevention to certified counselling and mediation courses will be provided.

We look forward to getting our communities to commit to working to achieve community attachment, social cohesion and safer more productive communities, that are intent on contributing to national development and sustainability of The Bahamas. We are only going to realize such transformation through partnering with, and empowering, the communities themselves.

Mr Speaker:

I conclude by reiterating my support of the Resolution to borrow $20 million from the Inter-American Development Bank for the implementation of the Citizen Security and Justice Programme that is designed to assist with reducing crime and violence in The Bahamas.

I thank you.

The Charter for Governance, Vision 2030, of the Government of the Bahamas (GOBH) identifies a course of action to “move upward, forward and onward” and in doing so, identifies the fight against crime and the prevention of violence as priorities for the country. In that context, the GOBH has committed to promote a sustainable national crime agenda which incorporates effective crime prevention, detention, prosecution and rehabilitation strategies, while addressing social issues associated with a recent upward trend in violent crimes. An integral part of this agenda consists in the improvement and restructuring of the country’s correctional services, a process that formally started with the approval of a new Correctional Services Bill (2013), which marks a policy shift from a punitive approach to a focus on rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners into society. The new law also provides for the conversion of the sole prison in the country into a correctional facility.

The rate of incarceration in The Bahamas is 379 per 100,000 inhabitants, which is significantly higher than the median rate of incarceration for the Caribbean region (around 277 per 100,000 inhabitants). The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDOCS) currently holds approximately 1,597 inmates, the majority of whom are males (92%) between the ages of 18 to 35 years old (55%). A large number of these prisoners are awaiting trial (42%). Eventually, these inmates will be released and most of them will return to the communities where they came from, making their successful reintegration into society a considerable public policy challenge. Many countries such as the United States, Canada and England have been considering the challenges associated with inmates re-entering society. For instance, in the United States, most returning offenders have shown difficulty managing the basic elements for successful reintegration, such as finding and maintaining employment, finding a place to live, reconnecting with their families, and accessing other social services that will help them with substance abuse and mental health problems.

In the Bahamas, some efforts have been made to understand inmates’ views on reintegration, however, the translation of those findings into actual public policy is still a work in progress. The most recently conducted inmate survey showed that, consistently with international experience, the majority of Bahamian inmates were concerned about employment opportunities, 47% indicated that they already had a job lined up after release, 53% indicated that their incarceration had a negative impact on their family life and in terms of housing, and 79% indicated that they anticipated living with family member upon release.

Consequently, understanding that the process of reentry starts at the moment of imprisonment and that it extends beyond release is critical. There is an implicit relationship between the experience of incarceration and the events upon release that marks the reentry process. A comprehensive definition of reentry includes “how (exprisoners) spent their time during confinement, the process by which they are released, and how they are supervised after release.”4 However, assessing program effectiveness under such a broad definition presents significant challenges. Therefore, a more narrow definition of reentry may be favored by policy makers and practitioner in order to focus on programs that aim to manage the transition from detention to the community (such as parole, prerelease, work release, halfway houses among others), or initiate treatment (such as substance abuse, life skills, education or mental health) in a prison setting and link with a community program to provide continuity of care.

As mentioned above, parole is one common strategy that contributes to improve reentry

for offenders. Parole is defined as both the process by which a board administratively releases inmates from prison and a provision for post-release supervision6. Research has demonstrated that by allowing offenders to live in the community (under supervision) parole plays an important role in facilitating the transition from prison to community, effecting positive behavioral change and increasing public safety.

In order to address this challenge and provide opportunities for Bahamian inmates to successfully return to their communities and reduce their probability to reoffend, the BDOCS has put in place different programs and treatments, such as the electronic ankle-bracelet surveillance system for suspects on bail or awaiting trial, a work-release program that benefits inmates in their last years of their sentences and several treatments dealing mainly with substance abuse and life skills training. However, the supply of these services lacks an evidence-based approach and a policy framework providing structure and systematic approach to a national re-entry strategy.

Alignment with Bank Priorities and operations. This Technical Cooperation (TC) is aligned with the Operational Guidelines for Program Design and Execution in the Area of Civic Coexistence and Public Safety (GN-2535-1), the Sector Strategy Institutions for Growth and Social Welfare (GN-2587-2), and the 2015 Country Programme Document and the citizen security priority area of the Country Strategy of the IDB with the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, 2013-2017 (GN-2731). It is also aligned with the main pillar of Management and Evaluation of the Citizen Security Initiative and the thematic area of Rehabilitation and Reentry. The TC is also aligned with the Citizen Security and Justice Sector Framework Document (GN-2771-3) and its dimension of success related with “access to efficient and timely criminal justice services, including rehabilitation and reintegration programs for prisoners, ensuring that their rights are protected”. This TC responds to two lines of actions, as follows: (i) expand the offerings of alternatives to imprisonment, both before and after trial; and (ii) improve mechanisms for the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners.

The Government of The Bahamas has sought the Bank’s assistance through a recently approved loan operation (BH-L1033) to stem the rise of crime and violence and improve living conditions in the country. That program promotes a crosscutting, inter-sectoral crime and violence strategy emphasizing crime and violence prevention and combining the strengthening of key sector institutions and targeting different risk factors affecting community life in a coordinated way, using evidence-based interventions. The present TC will complement the activities of the loan, specifically of component 4, in supporting the rehabilitation and reintegration efforts of the Department of Corrections.

Furthermore, this TC builds into a broader operational and knowledge strategy of the Bank´s Citizen Security and Justice Cluster, to better inform the public debate and decision makers about institutional performance of the criminal justice system. It also articulates and it will seek synergies with programs such as the Citizen Security Strengthening Program (GY-L1042), Regional Corrections Management Model in Central America (RG-T2297), and Strengthening of Social Reinsertion Programs for Youth Conflict with the Law (RG-T2549), among others.

Specific objectives. The objective of the proposed TC is to contribute to policy dialogue related to the formulation of a comprehensive reentry strategy that will allow the Government of The Bahamas to address offenders’ needs and challenges as they return to society. Furthermore, the knowledge generated by this TC will feed into a broader knowledge strategy of the Bank´s Citizen Security and Justice Cluster, to better inform decision makers on institutional performance of the criminal justice sector.

 

III. Description of Activities, Products and Budget

 

3.1 Component 1: Information on prisoner re-entry needs and challenges. The objective of this component is to generate new knowledge and information about the post-release needs and anticipated challenges of the offender population, factors facilitating or impeding successful prisoner’s re-entry, from the administration, inmates’ and ex-offenders point of view. This will be done through the application of different survey instruments to inmates, former offenders and correctional staff, as well as, the implementation of needs assessments tools. The TC will finance the following activities:

(i) primary data collection from correctional administrative data and from two types of surveys8 (a survey to inmates9 and a needs assessment survey of institutional capabilities); (ii) production of an analytical study summarizing the findings of both surveys; and (iii) a literature review pertaining to offender reentry in order to identify effective programs, knowledge gaps and research questions. As a result, solid information and evidence will be available to BDOCS and government authorities and will serve as a basis for the design of a reentry framework under which the parole system will be conceived for The Bahamas.

3.2 Component 2: Design of a parole supervision strategy. The purpose of this

component is to create a reentry framework for addressing post-prison supervision strategies based on the knowledge generated through the Component 1 of this TC. It is expected that this component will support the design of a parole structured gradual release program with supervision, control and treatment support that will enhance reentry outcomes for inmates under parole and strengthen citizen security in communities where offenders will be released. Activities under this component include:

(i) the design and production of a reentry framework and a parole strategy10; (ii) two roundtable discussion in order to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best operational practices with other correctional departments that have put in place successful and efficient parole strategies; (iii) three public consultations with key stakeholders such as local authorities, law enforcement institutions, community leaders, academia, civil society and private sector, and other non-traditional partners such as health and human service providers, housing authorities, faith-based organizations, workforce development boards and formerly incarcerated people.

3.3 Component 3: Evaluation of a re-entry program. The objective of this component is to

generate new knowledge, increase awareness and facilitate dialogue around prisonerre-entry. The TC will finance the following activities: (i) the design of a methodological
 

US$345,907       24 months

Support for the design of a prisoner re-entry system

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