Horace Chang | Using social investment to achieve sustainable peace

Criminal violence is the ultimate manifestation of dysfunctional behaviour rooted in several identifiable causes. Over the past decade and a half, the situation in Jamaica has reached epidemic proportions, with an average of about 48 homicides per 100,000 population over that period. This level of criminal violence underscores the urgent need for intervention.

To address the immediate challenges, we acknowledge the necessity for effective policing. This entails ensuring that the police are fully equipped and properly trained as well as having a legal framework that empowers them with sufficient legitimate powers to apprehend and separate the known perpetrators from the rest of the society. The ongoing investments and legislative changes that the Government is making are all designed to achieve this overarching goal.

While the short- to medium-term solutions involve bringing to bear all of the force multipliers at our disposal, both the legal and physical tools, a more sustainable approach requires tackling the root causes of abnormal social behaviours.

LONG-TERM STRATEGY

Looking toward the long term, it is imperative that we address some of the root causes of abnormal social behaviours, stemming from myriad factors such as economic disparities, familial challenges, interpersonal dysfunctions, and the erosion of hope, dignity, and self-worth – all of which are intricately linked to broader environmental issues. We acknowledge this necessity and are actively proceeding with a policy approach shaped not only by data, but also by the valuable insights gleaned from the shortcomings of previous social-intervention endeavours as highlighted by several empirical studies.

Notably, one such study revealed that over a 10-year period, nearly J$390 billion was expended on various social-intervention projects running parallel to government services. Regrettably, these initiatives failed to yield the expected return on investment or produce significant outcomes, emphasising the importance of re-evaluating and reforming our approach for long-term social transformation.

REFORMED APPROACH

We are now implementing a whole-of-government approach to ensure coordination among agencies serving vulnerable communities. As we direct funding to improve the quality of services, we have proceeded to create some special legal zones – the zones of special operations – where physical and social transformation have proceeded in tandem with the agencies. This has resulted in significant transformation, which includes school improvements, curriculum changes, social services for vulnerable families, training for unattached young men and women out of school, counselling services, psychosocial support for those grappling with emotional challenges, and economic assistance for household heads.

It is important to note that significant resources are available within the Government for these endeavours. Our objective, therefore, is to enhance efficiency and seek partner funding to supplement and support these activities. By adopting this approach, it has allowed us to channel programmes through the Budget, thus preventing the loss of over 60 per cent of funding to additional staff operating parallel to existing personnel. In instances where service agencies require additional staff, permanent staff will be added to the relevant agencies as exemplified by our current initiative in guidance and counselling services. This will ensure that the transformative efforts within communities are sustained, with staff seamlessly integrated into our budgetary framework and not leaving at the end of a particular funded programme.

WHOLE-OF-GOVERNMENT COLLABORATION

The establishment of the Citizen Security Business Group (CSBG) by the Government signifies a pivotal step towards ensuring comprehensive coordination. Representing the closest we will get to reflect a whole-of-government operation by any institution in Jamaica’s history, the CSBG engages permanent secretaries from all ministries, including the financial secretary, along with heads of crucial agencies such as the Social Development Commission (SDC), HEART NSTA Trust, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Jamaica Defence Force, and the Planning Institute of Jamaica. To facilitate effective oversight and collaboration, a dedicated full-time secretariat, the Citizen Security Secretariat (CSS), has been instituted. Staffed and remunerated, the CSS is responsible for monitoring and ensuring seamless collaboration and coordination among various projects. Moreover, it plays a crucial role in collecting and collating current data, which offer insights that can inform real-time adjustments to enhance service delivery.

Within this overarching framework, a subcommittee comprising four critical sectors, namely security, education, health, and social security, collaborates closely to address the needs of vulnerable communities. The directive to all permanent secretaries underscores the importance of coordinated services at the field level, which ensures a holistic and integrated approach to uplift these challenged communities.

YOUTH PROGRAMMES

After three years of implementation, this holistic approach to social investment is showing positive results. While challenges persist, especially in parental training, we remain committed to achieving its targets for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. These include rehabilitating 34 police stations, creating 28 safe spaces, completing three government-run shelters, training 25,000 at-risk youths, and providing behaviour-change programmes for 157,763 parents.

It is to be noted that this approach is complemented by the various youth programmes such as the Jamaica National Service Corps, HEART’s training and certification programmes, the Sixth Form Pathways Programme, and the Inter-ministerial School Support Strategy. These programmes aim to equip young people with skills, emotional support, and formal education to break the cycle of vulnerability.

The adoption of this comprehensive whole-of-government approach is new, yet it holds the promise of yielding superior outcomes and expanding its application on a broader scale. By concurrently addressing the root causes of criminal violence through social investment and continuing to implement short- to medium-term law-enforcement measures, our objective is to instigate enduring transformation within the targeted communities. As the effects of these initiatives gradually manifest themselves, we maintain confidence in cultivating a safer, more prosperous Jamaica for all.

Dr Horace Chang is Jamaica’s deputy prime minister and minister of national security. He is also the member of parliament for North West St James. Send feedback to securityminister@mns.gov.jm