ST. KITTS-NEVIS ADAPTS ITS COMMUNITY POLICING INITIATIVES
April 6th, 2018
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (KYSS FM) – The Ministry of National Security adapted the Cure Violence Health Model into its crime-fighting initiatives as a way of ensuring safety and security throughout the nation.
According to cureviolence.org, the Cure Violence Health Model uses the epidemic control method to reduce violence.
Selected members of the community, who are considered trusted insiders, are carefully trained to anticipate where violence may occur and intervene before it erupts.
Within the model, the entire community is engaged as a means to change behavior and norms.
Osmond Petty, permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security, has said that the model will assist in detecting and interrupting potential in violent conflicts; identifying and treating highest risk; and mobilizing the community to change current patterns of behaviour.
Additionally, it is hoped that it will aid in the prevention of retaliation and the escalation of conflicts, mediating ongoing conflicts and providing targeted assistance to at-risk members of the community.
The Cure Violence Health Model has already been implemented in other locations around the world including New York City, Chicago, and New Orleans in the United States of America, San Pedro Sula, Honduras; Cape Town, South Africa; and Juarez City, Mexico.
The model is said to be more effective and cost saving to treat drug addiction as a health issue than to punish it.