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Basseterre, St. Kitts, June 09, 2016 (SKNIS):  International Social Skills Consultant Neals J. Chitan is engaging with residents of St. Kitts and Nevis this week as part of the Government of National Unity’s initiatives to reduce crime.

 

Key stakeholders from a wide cross-section of society are participating in the June 04 to 11 Crime Reduction Consultation organized by the Ministry of National Security. Persons from faith-based institutions, parents, youth groups and law enforcement have all been engaged to date.

 

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Osmond Petty, said most discussions about crime involve arresting the perpetrators but there are other implications.

 

“When you take 15 criminals off the road and lock them up, what’s next?” Mr. Petty asked. “What about those youngsters who have been looking at them, admiring them, wanting to be like some of them? When you put those [15] in prison we [will] have a next group coming up. So the first thing we have to do is curb the crime. The next thing we want is to look beyond that.”

 

Mr. Petty said the consultation is in keeping with Government’s strategy to implement “a broad-based, multi-faceted approach to crime reduction.”

 

Mr. Chitan described his presentation “as a four dimensional blueprint” to decrease crime. His presentation was very interactive and engaging and touched on a number of critical issues including greater involvement of the church; breaking the status quo; the responsibilities of parents; and the impact of the internet.

 

He said his objectives are: “to introduce to government and stakeholders a sustainable crime reduction blueprint that will initiate a significant systemic drop in the incidences of crime and violence with targeted demographics; to assist government in understanding and implementing a strategically developed order of treatment which is designed to address every major of criminality; and to augment the existing crime reducing strategies with his model,” which he said has been “tried and proven over the last decade.”

 

Additionally, Mr. Chitan said he is working to “uncover the root causes; and also to initiate concept and strategy that will not only create an anti- crime resolve in citizens but also create a national media buzz.”

 

Mr. Petty said he was pleased with Chitan’s presentations which center on the Enforcement – Diagnostic – Education – Rehabilitation (EDER) model and pledged to promote such. Mr. Chitan will engage the members of the Criminal Justice Strategic Board, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce and other groups and organizations later this week.