TIRED of the bloodletting and resulting trauma spurred by the murder of a man in front of his family, a group of concerned Jamaicans have come together to form the organisation Citizens Action Against Crime.

Randy Finnikin, who a release said is the convenor of the group, said the new organisation was formed six months ago.

“This initiative was launched via social media and now being piloted in Old Harbour, with the intention for it to be extended islandwide,” he told members of the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA) at a meeting recently, where he was the guest speaker.

Finnikin, who is said to have more than 30 years experience in implementing social intervention programmes and community transformation initiatives, said that the crime statistics of 2017 had a profound impact on many Jamaicans.

“If the average Jamaican citizens are the targets of crime, then what should the average Jamaican citizens be engaged in? What are some of the things that we can do in a proactive way to prevent crime and how can we, through citizens action, create that vision for Jamaica?” he asked.

He said that, already, Citizens Action Against Crime has been actively working with the residents of Old Harbour to implement social intervention programmes to prevent and address crime and violence.

The release said, so far, the organisation has embarked on the promotion of community safety and security initiatives including neighbourhood, towns and farm watches.

In addition, he said there has been the establishment of Community Corps working with the National Youth Service/Housing Opportunity Production and Employment Programme to enlist approximately 30 youths to be trained and engaged over six months to interact with citizens around acceptable values, attitudes and norms including: public order; environmental best practices and sustainable livelihoods; parenting; and conflict management, including restorative justice and mediation.

Dr Elizabeth Ward, chair of the VPA, commended Finnikin for the formation of the organisation and noted that there is no one solution to reducing and preventing violence.

“It requires participation and action from a network of sectors working together to address the problem,” she said.

The VPA is a non-governmental organisation, which uses evidence-based public health approach that targets at-risk and protective factors leading to violence and promotes multi-sectoral cooperation.

The release said the alliance targets the root causes of violence and recognises the need for improved services to mitigate the harmful effects of violence.