THE resumption of hanging, a greater push to buy back illegal guns, designing citizen-friendly police stations and parent training were among recommendations made by young Jamaicans last week at a one-day forum held to find solutions to the island’s nagging crime problem.

The recommendations will be included in a report to be published at the end of next month by the Ministry of National Security which staged the Youth Forum on Crime and Violence at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston on Thursday.

“I left with a sense of hope,” said Ann-Marie Barnes, senior director for strategic planning, policy and research at the Ministry of National Security. “The biggest applause came for the total elimination of dons and gunmen.”

Near 2,500 youths from across the island attended the forum and, according to one of them, Dwyer Williams of the Chisholm Avenue United Police Youth Club, “I don’t think this is just talk”.

“We are learning to do right and knowing what to do,” he said.

The forum was staged as a follow-up to the last June’s National Committee on Crime and Violence report which highlighted the need for communities to have greater control over the crime and violence issues that affect them.

While it sought to solicit the views of Jamaican teenagers about the problem, the forum was also staged with the awareness that youths are among the most vulnerable to crime and violence.

According to police statistics, 79 persons under age 21 have been murdered since the start of this year. In 2001, the number was 145, while 129 persons under age 21 were arrested and charged with murder in that same year.

No statistics were available showing the number of persons under age 21 arrested and charged with murder so far this year.

The forum chose teenager Andrena Morgan, formerly of Morant Bay High School, and young adult Sean Baugh, of the Social Development Commission, to collaborate with government ministries, international agencies and the wider society to formulate a crime prevention policy.

According to Barnes, Morgan and Baugh were chosen based on their performance in the 10 workshops held throughout the day.

“Morgan, originally [was not selected], but rose to the occasion and impressed the audience with her presentation and her fluid, intelligent responses in the question and answer segment,” Barnes said.

The workshops discussed the push and pull factors of crime, under the themes:

* drug abuse;

* parenting;

* gun control;

* youth and police;

* first offenders;

* strategy for maintaining community peace;

* gang violence;

* alternatives and opportunities for youth;

* street children; and

* violence in schools.

Said Barnes: “The young are most challenged as a group, and it would be remiss of the Ministry of National Security if it did not take special interest in the [problems faced by this age group].”

The youths are to meet this week with the ministry and begin the process of implementing the forum’s recommendations.