In an innovative move to address crime and gun violence, public health experts have joined forces with regional and international stakeholders to tackle the root causes of firearms-related incidents in the Caribbean. This initiative, "Pathway to Policy: Integrating Security and Public Health Responses to Firearms Trafficking and Violence in the Caribbean," employs a multidisciplinary approach to combat the issue.
The project brings together a diverse advisory committee of experts from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre (GA-CDRC) at The UWI Cave Hill Campus, the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS), and the Small Arms Survey team from Geneva.
The initiative focused on combining research and practical strategies to reduce gun violence by involving sectors beyond traditional law enforcement.
Lt. Col. Michael Jones, Executive Director of CARICOM IMPACS, emphasized the importance of this approach, stating that research has shown the most effective strategies involve collaboration with the public health sector, which often serves as the first responder in firearm-related incidents.
Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director of CARPHA, explained that the initiative aims to support evidence-based measures to curb firearm trafficking and violence, while also exploring the socioeconomic costs of armed violence in the Caribbean.
The project will implement a regional strategy to engage key stakeholders and disseminate research findings across public health and security sectors. A key component of the initiative includes the development of an early warning social media dashboard to track firearm crimes.
The research team, led by Dr. Natasha Sobers and Professor Simon Anderson from the GA-CDRC, is delving into methodologies and data collection to better understand the financial and social impacts of gun violence. The initiative builds on findings from the 2023 Weapons Compass: the Caribbean Firearms Study, which revealed that the homicide rate in the Caribbean is nearly three times the global average, with illicit firearms playing a significant role.
Funded by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, the Pathway to Policy project is set to run from 2023 to 2025, with the goal of providing new research and actionable insights to reduce gun violence and create safer communities across the Caribbean.