YCW Anguilla
YCW Bangladesh
JCC Brazil
YCW Cameroon
YCW the Gambia
YCW Ghana
JCC Guinea
JCC Haiti
YCW Jamaica
YCW Liberia
YCW Nepal
YCW Nigeria
YCW Pakistan
JCD Panama
TID Romania
YCW Rwanda
YRP Russia
YCW Sierra Leone
YCW South Africa
YCW Uganda
YCW Zambia
About Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica
Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica helps schools and communities in Jamaica start and sustain their YCW programs. Services include:
- Background information about Youth Crime Watch
- YCW awareness presentations
- YCW implementation training for your site
- Technical assistance getting your site started
- Technical assistance once your site is up and running
News from Jamaica
April 2008: Flanker Digest April edition hits the streets
The Flanker Digest is the community newsletter of the Flanker Youth Crime Watch in Jamaica.
Read The Flanker Digest - Vol.2, No.1 (PDF 304 kB)
March 2008: Flanker Digest March edition hits the streets
The Flanker Digest is the community newsletter of the Flanker Youth Crime Watch in Jamaica.
Read The Flanker Digest - Vol.1, No.3 (PDF 311 kB)
February 2008: Flanker Digest February edition hits the streets
The Flanker Digest is the community newsletter of the Flanker Youth Crime Watch in Jamaica.
Read The Flanker Digest - Vol.1, No.2 (PDF 282 kB)
February 2008: August Town Chapter of YCWJ - 2007 in a nutshell
Like many other low income Communities across Jamaica the Greater August Town Community faces social and economic challenges, anti-social behavior among youth, drugs, crime and violence resulting in dysfunctional communities. However the Greater August Town Community over the years has developed a community leadership framework, which seeks to empower citizens into taking responsibility for the community. The Youth Crime Watch Movement plays a major role in transforming the behavior of youth in the Greater August Town Community.
January 2007: August Town chapter of youth crime watch of Jamaica kicked off 2007 with a three day workshop in Youth Crime Watch methodology at the University of the West Indies from January 17-20, 2007. The workshop was held in association with the Youth Crime Watch Board of Jamaica, Peace Management Initiative (PMI), and August Town Peace-Builders, Center for Public Safety and Justice and August Town Police. The August Town trainers along with Mr. Alfred Palmer member of the YCW Board of Jamaica conducted the training under the watchful eye of Dr. James Corbett. At the end of the three days a graduation ceremony was conducted where each of the 208 participants where presented with certificates. Dr. James Corbett and Kenneth Wilson visited Prey High School and addressed the student population there. Prey High School plan to start a Youth Crime Watch programme.
March 2007: Members of August Town Chapter of YCWJ in association with Greater August Town Peace-Builders coordinated a three weekend action project at the George Abraham Home for the Aged. They painted the building, repaired to the roof, planted flowers and brought in two health workers to conduct medical examinations of the residents. Members staged two fundraising concerts, $60,000.00 to fund the project.
May 2007: On Thursday May 2, 2007 Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica and August Town was invited by the University of the West Indies Mona Campus to make a joint presentation at a conference sponsored by the University. The conference was held at the Haven of Hope Open Bible Church in August Town under the theme “August Town: Our Development Overcoming Crime and Violence.” The event brought together ongoing crime prevention strategies in the Greater August Town Community. The Youth Crime Watch methodology and its success among the youth of the August Town Community was explored. The Center for Public Safety and Justice, Faculty of Social Sciences University of the West Indies will be working closely with Youth Crime Watch of August Town. The University has named Greater August Town as the pilot Community under its University Town Project and Youth Crime Watch will be playing a key role in the development of the Township Project.
August 2007: In August the August Town Chapter coordinated with the Center for Public Safety and Justice, Peace Management Initiative (PMI) and the YCWJ to conduct a three day summer workshop at the University of the West Indies from August 16-18, 2007. A total of eighty persons participated in the training. At the end of the training each of the participants where presented with certificate.
September 2007: As a followup to the August workshop presentations were made to Mona High School and Papine High School. The delegation was led by Mr. Delroy Johnson, Chairman of the August Town Chapter.
December 2007: The August Town Chapter, as part of a Greater August Town Community stakeholders group, helped to stage a march against violence on December 8, 2007. Scores of citizens marched through the community, ending in Bedward Gardens with a community meeting where Dr. Corbett spoke to the crowd. Members of the stakehoders group for this event were: Youth Crime Watch / August Town, Greater August Town Peace-Builders, August Town Police, University of the West Indies Mona Campus, August Town Sports and Community Development Foundation, Haven of Hope Open Bible Church, Emmanuel Apostolic Church, New testament Church of Christ, Christ the King Catholic Church, August Town Community Church, August Town Bible way Ministry, St. Cyprian Anglican Church, August Town Church of God, August Town Football Club.
Members of August Town Chapter of Youth Crime Watch continue to meet on Saturdays at the University of the West Indies Mona Campus.
----
Thanks to Mr. Delroy Johnson, Chairman of the August Town Chapter of YCWJ, for sending in this report.
January 2008: First Flanker Digest outlines Youth Crime Watch activities
Greetings from the Flanker Youth Crime Watch.
The Flanker Community would like to present you with a copy of the first issue of our newsletter. This was initiated to give a brief synopsis of all that has taken place in our community in the previous month. We, members of the core group have decided to widen our reader base beyond the scope of our community via the internet. With the publication of the newsletter we aim to present the communnity in the light that speaks well of its residents. Hope you enjoy our first issue and if you have any comments you can always email us.
Read The Flanker Digest - Vol.1, No.1 (PDF 192 kB)
Thank you.
Monique Christie
flanker_digest@yahoo.com
January 2008: Youth Crime Watch training strengthens Jamaica program
Over 200 participants from the parishes of Kingston, Clarendon, Mandeville, St. James, St. Catherine, and St. Andrew, came together for Youth Crime Watch training led by trainers Dr. James Corbett and Alfred Palmer January 16-20, 2008.
The core of the training was an awareness session covering Youth Crime Watch fundamentals and an implementation training outlining the practical side of running a successful program. A variety of training methods enlivened the sessions: dramatic analysis, music, discussion, skills-building, and more. Break-out groups discussed given YCW program components (the nine components) and presented their thoughts and conclusions to the gathering.
The training weekend also included a personal development planning workshop led by Dr. Corbett to guide YCW leaders in envisioning their work and personal growth over the next three years.
Summer 2007: YCW bears fruit in Kingston
The following report from Jennifer Williams at the Kingston Technical High School in Jamaica sums up the hard work that kids and staff at that school have put into making Youth Crime Watch bear fruit.
July 15, 2007
I was fortunate to have attended your Implementation Training Seminar in Denver Colorado on March 21, 2007. And was enthusiastic about all the information, advice, fun raising and friend raising you had offered. I came home with zeal to be more pro-active in the crime prevention process in my country.
Intervention
Kinston Technical High School, Located in the inner city of Down Town Kingston was one of the leading school with gang related problems, thief, smoking, and indiscipline.
Students were send to the police station daily for these offence. These student age ranges from 16 to 20 years old, this being the case there was never crime prevention program at the school. However there were the school resource officers and the police who were working with the students but there was never any success in carving the amount of offences. I was asked to go on board to work with them in implement the Youth Crime Watch Program in the school, with the approval of the school Board, principal, and teachers.
Implementation
We started out with the(24) twenty four students, these are the students who were involve in the offences stated above, we held our first meeting on April 10, 2007, whereas we became a site. The core group was selected, with Meeting being held each Tuesday. We pinpointed the problem the students were facing daily, and decisions were made, how best we could alleviate the issues at hand.
The students issues, were they did not have any extra curricula activities or after school programs, therefore they display their built up energy in a negative form. And they were also affected by the violent crime being committed on the school grounds. Also they wanted to help in which ever way they could in the preventing of crime in their school, thus they were excited to be the ambassador in the Youth Crime Watch program. Their solutions were to have them place in after school programs and sporting activity, which is both educational and recreational and getting other students involve in the effort to a crime free school, the Youth Crime Watch way.
Community involvement
We get persons from the private sector to come on board with us in building a multi purpose court, for netball, basket ball, and volley ball, also to enroll the students in after school work programs. The students were totally involve in the refurbishing and painting of the court, they also were enthusiastic about going to the on the job training after school. The student also wanted to a fete to raised fund for refurbishing a section of the school.
Fun raising
With the help of the private sector and public sector in and around the school community we hose the fete on July 6, 2007 which was a success we raise approximately $40.000.00 forty thousand dollars and this fund will go toward the refurbishing of school’s bathrooms and also educational field trips.
Spreading the message
To date we have 72 seventy two students on board the Youth Crime Watch train, with other coming on. We also walk through the surrounding community with the media, the student educating both youths and adult about the Youth Crime Watch program. And the response was favorable. The principal commended the student on their effort to bringing the school back to normality. She told us that now she have to look through her office window to see if the student are still on lunch break as a result of the excellent behavior of the students. There are no more offences so students no longer go to the police station to be disciplined. The superintendent commended the student for their effort in being better individuals and the role they play in the prevention of crime in their schools.
Training
We will comments training of the students in September as school is now on holidays
Thanks to your zealous and informative implementation training exercise I can say we have gone and touch the life of youth in the Kingston Technical High School.
And as we make progress I will keep you informed.
Sincerely yours,
Jennifer Williams
Thanks for the wonderful report, Jamaica!
March 2007: Jamaica Youth Leader in the Spotlight
Stacey-Ann Robinson of YCWJ's Hermitage chapter is featured in the Youth Crime Watch Youth Spotlight on this website. Stacey-Ann's hard work and dedicated commitment to youth involvement in crime prevention have won her this honor. See Stacey-Ann in the spotlight.
July 2006: Jamaica Youth Attend Leadership Training in Miami, Florida
Approximately 25 Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica members, representing several schools throughout the Kingston area, visited Miami, Florida, and received training in youth leadership and youth-led crime prevention. The training included basic program implementation utilizing the nine components of Youth Crime Watch. The training was held at the Miami Gardens Police Department in Miami Gardens, Florida. Congratulations to all participants for a job very well done.
Photos from the training:
June 2006: YCWJ Change of Address
Please note that YCWJ's address has changed to the following:
Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica
c/o St. Joseph's Hospital
22 Deanery Road
Kingston 3
JAMAICA
June 19, 2006: YCWJ Elects New Board of Directors
On Saturday, June 24, Youth Crime of Jamaica (YCWJ) convened its Annual General Meeting at the Christ the Redeemer Human Resource Centre in Seaview Gardens.
After the standard welcomes, reports and updates the 40 members in attendance nominated and voted for a new Board of Directors that will function for a period of one (1) year. The new Board is comprised of: Fabian Brown (Chairman), Nadine Edwards (Vice-Chair), Sgt. Ruth Anderson (Treasurer), Trishauna Barclay (Secretary), Michael Rutherford (Fundraising), Tarrick Johnson (Public Relations), Debbie Sharpe (Partnership Development), Alfred Palmer (School-Based Projects), Const. Odale Mulgrave (Islandwide Projects), Delroy Johnson (Community-Based Projects) and Osmond Moodie. In addition to maintaining the current activities of YCWJ, one of the Board’s mandates will be to launch a major fundraising campaign, and to access funding to formalize and expand the operations and efficacy of YCWJ.
Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica is a youth-centred crime prevention initiative, which was born out of United States Ambassador to Jamaica Sue Cobb’s “Building Bridges” project, and was launched on Thursday, March 18, 2004, to enable youths to become resources for preventing drug use and other crimes in their schools and neighborhoods, therefore providing crime free, drug free environments for healthy learning and living.
The organization is now led in partnership between the Board of Directors, youth, Police, the Private sector, Non-Governmental Organizations and Government Ministries and has made the transition from a Steering Committee to Board of Directors.
Since its inception in 2004, the YCWJ in partnership with Youth Crime Watch of America has trained over sixty-seven (67) youths and youth collaborators as trainers in executing its mission. A total of four hundred (400) youths were also trained to establish Youth Crime Watch Sites across Jamaica.
To date sites have been established in Kingston and St. Andrew, Clarendon, St. Catherine, Westmoreland, St. Mary, St. James, Portland, St. Ann, and St. Thomas.May 16, 2006: Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica Members Honored
Three members of Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica (YCWJ), the youth/peer anti-crime movement, recently received "Extra Mile" awards for their dedication, hard work and commitment to the principles of youth safety and empowerment. Members of Youth Crime Watch of America presented the awards during a ceremony at the U.S. Embassy's Office of Public Affairs in Kingston.
The awardees were Alfred Palmer, Trishauna Barclay, and Tarrick Johnson (photo) all founding members of YCWJ.
Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica is a youth-led movement to create a crime, drug and violence-free environment in Jamaica's schools and neighborhoods. Key elements of the program include young people educating each other about the prevention of drug abuse, crime and violence; increasing safety awareness on public transportation systems; peer mentoring; and conflict resolution.
Since the program's inception in April 2004, more than 450 young people island wide have been trained to implement Youth Crime Watch programs in their schools and neighborhoods. The Office of Public Affairs at the United States Embassy is proud to support their work.
Youth Crime Watch of Jamaica is one of many programs established through former US Ambassador Sue Cobb's Building Bridges initiative, a program that fostered economic development, knowledge sharing and partnership between Jamaica's and Florida's public and private sectors.
March 2006: Visit to Augustown
Youth Crime Watch in Augustown - see photos and info online.
Feb 2006: Youth Spotlight on Miguel Barnes Lawrence
Miguel Lawrence of Kingston earned our attention as an outstanding youth for his evident dedication to making a positive difference in his community and his own creative, yet simple, solution to the problem of reaching peers in his community. See the Youth Spotlight on Miguel.
2006 an Ambitious Year in Jamaica
January 2006: YCWJ has recently produced its action plan for the first quarter of the year. The Jamaica group are setting high goals for themselves. First off is a major media campaign including weekly radio and monthly television broadcasts, a public service announcement, and partnerships with national and grassroots media organizations. Fundraising activities include a fish fry, a carwash, a benefit concert, and more. Establishing a mentoring network linking youth with police officers and community members for guidance and support. The mentoring campaign hopes to launch in March with workshops throughout the Jamaica sites. A peer education project would train youth at YCWJ sites across the island to teach other youth about HIV/AIDS. Starting in February YCWJ's "Career Opportunities Program (COP)" would help youth develop their human and economic potential through job placement and marketing their skills. One of the goals of the project is to bridge the gap between employers and at-risk youths and create opportunities. And the equally ambitious "Providing Alternatives for Suspended Students (PASS)" program would match YCWJ with sympathetic NGOs to provide a safe environment for students on suspension from school, giving them support and guidance in making life decisions and improving their attitude towards both school and their community.
In the closing months of 2005 and the first weeks of 2006, YCWJ has met with a number of important decision makers in Jamaica, renewing their good relationship with the US Ambassador's office, meeting with the Minister of National Security, Senator Kern Spencer, and other public and private-sector leaders on the island. We look forward to a year of good news from Jamaica.
Public events planned for 2006
|
Date |
Name of Event |
Location |
Participants |
January to March 7, 2006 |
Fish Fry Gate Prize: Weekend for two at Couples San Souci |
Central Police Station in Down Town Kingston Drawing date: March 7, 2006 |
The general public |
February 18, 2006 |
Youth Crime Watch National Meeting |
Kingston – Venue to be determined |
Members of Youth Crime Watch Jamaica |
March 19 – 24, 2006 |
The 17th National Youth Crime Prevention Conference and International Forum |
Ogden, UTAH |
Members of Youth Crime Watch Jamaica |
March 07, 2006 |
Ground Breaking for the Seaview Gardens Performing Arts Centre |
Seaview Gardens |
Sponsors, Members of YCWJ, SGPAMB, community members etc |
May 27, 2006 |
Fund-raising event #1 – Fish Fry |
Kingston – Venue to be determined |
The general public |
June 24, 2006 |
Youth Crime Watch National Meeting |
Kingston – Venue to be determined |
Members of Youth Crime Watch |
September 30, 2006 |
Fund-raising event # 2 – Barbeque |
Kingston – Venue to be determined |
The general public |
December 9, 2006 |
Fund-raising event #3 – Benefit Concert |
Kingston – Venue to be determined |
The general public |
Board Meetings in 2006
- January 14
- March 18
- May 20
- July 22
- September 16
- November 18
- December 16
Archived News
