IDB citizen security programme extended to June

The Citizen Security Strengthening Programme (CSSP), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)-funded project which was launched to address crime and violence in the country has been extended until June, 2022, Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn says.

CSSP was launched in January, 2016 and was expected to run for a period of five years. It therefore means that the project would have expired by now.

Asked about this on Friday, Benn disclosed that the CSSP has been extended.

“I think there has been an extension until June of next year,” he disclosed.

In a statement, the IDB had said that the CSSP is designed to increase the capacity of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in criminal investigation practices and crime prevention strategies.

“It focuses on skills training to improve community engagement and cooperation as well as systems strengthening in order to more effectively use data to proactively prevent and investigate crime and violence,” the statement had said.

It added that the programme will rely on the capacity of the Guyana Prison Services (GPS) to incorporate and deliver rehabilitation and reintegration services to detainees and inmates. “CSSP activities will finance sustainable re-entry initiatives by assessing specific needs across the prison system, developing a suitable model for rehabilitation and reintegration and setting up a case management programme to support and track inmate progress. Training for GPS staff to deliver these services is also included,” the statement added.

Additionally, the statement said the community-level crime prevention actions will target 20 communities based on homicide, burglary, robbery and domestic violence rates and the final list of communities under the CSSP will be compiled once the disaggregated data from the 2012 Census is released.

Further, it was stated that the programme will address vulnerability through social prevention interventions and focus on developing a core of skills and capabilities among community members to allow them to cope with violence, unemployment and counterproductive behavioural risk factors.

Since its launch, the CSSP has contributed to the training of hundreds of citizens including police officers on various issues/topics.

A number of police stations and outposts was also refurbished and constructed across the country and the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory was upgraded.