Bleak times since the coming of Hurricane Melissa in late October mean a great many Jamaicans have very few reasons to smile.

Yet even for Melissa’s victims, a source of considerable relief has been the sharp decline in crime — more specifically murders — over the last 12 to 18 months.

Last we heard, Jamaica appeared to be on target to end 2025 with a murder tally below 700.

But even if murders shade 700, it would be the lowest in a calendar year in decades — a significant achievement.

Clearly, improved resource allocations for the security forces; more efficient intelligence-gathering; and unrelenting, uncompromising targeting of criminals and their networks are bearing fruit.

We have no doubt that declining crime, which left Jamaicans feeling much safer than previously, contributed significantly to a third term for the Andrew Holness-led Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Government in the September election.

Yet, as everyone, including Government officials, keeps saying, we can’t rest on our laurels.

Seven hundred murders are still too many. That unrelenting anti-crime drive must continue on all fronts so that the despicable ones among us who insist on murder, mayhem, and predatory behaviour are left with no place to hide.

But as we have said repeatedly in this space, the answer can’t only be about police enforcement. It must also be about changing behaviour and attitudes for many of our people who have been and continue to be poorly socialised.

For that reason we continue to advocate a proactive alliance, involving Government, local authorities, the business community, religious groups, civil society, et al, aimed at building and organising stable communities. That’s the reason we have consistently supported the efforts and goals of the private sector-driven Project Star.

Obviously, individuals acting on their own initiative also have important roles to play in any drive for behaviour change. We are reminded of this by the story of Correctional Services Chaplain Rev Dwayne Nelson.

Driven by having seen numerous young men who lost their way and ended up in prison, Rev Nelson is now dedicated to changing young lives. His story in our latest edition of the Sunday Observer should be a must-read for everyone.

The chaplain — an ordained minister, trained counsellor, and educator, now pursuing a PhD — targets low-performing schools as a large part of his campaign.

Recognition that substance abuse, dysfunctional families, poor parenting, low self-esteem, etc represent a prevalent undermining influence guides his behaviour-modification programme.

Aware that he can’t do it alone, Rev Nelson draws on the support of “various professionals” as well as former prison inmates to better convince the young that crime is not the way.

He is using chess — long recognised as being among the games which enhances critical thinking and academic performance — to boost self-confidence among young people.

We are heartened that as part of the effort to break the “cycle of crime” he wants young people to “unlock their greatness and become who they were designed to become…”

He tells us that from his position in the prison system he has the “edge to go out there… especially within the schools, and say, ‘Hey, you don’t want to go there…’ ”

Here is an example of selfless service to others that should be embraced by us all for the greater good of our country.