Anti-gang scheme targets primary school students

Minister of National Security Michael H. Dunkley is hoping a new primary school initiative will help prevent gang violence.

The programme – called Gang Resistance Education and Training, or GREAT – is designed to intervene in the years that immediately precede the typical ages for gang initiation and other anti-social behavior.

The idea is to stem delinquency and youth violence by having police officers lead classroom experiences that are intended to build a rapport between the students and law enforcement authorities. The programme, says Mr Dunkley, also aims to “leverage the knowledge and experience of theseprofessionals in dealing with the consequences of violence, delinquency andgang involvement”.

Standing in front of the Victor Scott Primary School, where the programme has been implemented, Mr Dunkley deflected a question about the size of the island’s gang problem, saying “we would prefer to stay away from a number because we can never be exact.”

“It’s hard to say how large it is. We know there’s a number of gangs that stretch from one end of the island to the other. I think we made significant impact of taking people away from them, over the last couple years and this program – we hope – will continue to reduce those numbers."