Carolyn's Vocational Visits - Tortola

In Tortola I had meetings with 4 crime prevention related organisations. The first was with the Police Crime Prevention Unit where I mostly spoke with Sergent Tony Smith, a UK crime prevention consultant in the BVIs for 2 years to provide advice on crime prevention strategies. Community policing is the main approach that he is trying to encourage - increasing the involvement of community members in both crime prevention and the accountability of Police.

I then met with Scherrie Griffin, Senior Probation Officer with the Social Development Department. Her role includes some juvenile justice responsibilities, and by Aussie standards she is very under-resourced. Youth crime has increased sigificantly in recent years (not to different to at home) but gangs and guns are an additional challenge that aren't in the Clarence Valley.

After lunch I met with Lauren Keil who with one admin. officer is the Family Support Network, the BVI's domestic violence service, and with Joanne Perry of the Community Agency on Drugs and Addiction. Again, both women are trying to cover a large area and number of clients with very little resources. We discussed relevant projects and programs and I was able to provide information of some that seemed appropriate to their needs.

Overall, these visits gave me the impression that the BVIs had similar issues to what I am familiar with - acohol, youth crime and anti-social behaviour and domestic violence, but also issues particular to the Caribbean e.g. cultural differences and lack of funding, that make it an even bigger challenge for BVI service providers.