THE Inter-American Development Bank has proposed a $20m loan project to increase citizen security and efficiency in the justice system in the Bahamas.

The Citizen Security and Justice Programme is designed in three components focusing on behaviour, employment and justice institutions, according to the project profile.

The primary goals of the project are the reduction of youth-related crime and violence in selected communities; improved job readiness for youth and young adults; and increased judicial rate of case resolution.

In the first component, “Improved behaviour for peaceful coexistence,” $7.5m will be allocated for “violence interruption programmes that will be implemented in communities affected by gang confrontations; expansion and strengthening of urban renewal centres which will provide psychosocial (counselling) services, mentoring and positive adult role model programmes, conflict resolution training (including in schools), and sports for peace training; social marketing campaigns addressing the “culture of violence” and promoting healthy, respectful relationships and gender norms; and, a women’s health survey to provide accurate data about Violence Against Women (VAW).”

The second component “Employability and Employment”  has an estimated cost of $5m. Activities will include life skills training and remedial education; mentoring activities; internships or on-the-job training, job-seeking, placement support; and strategies for promoting private sector participation.

The third component focuses on the strengthening of justice institutions, and has an estimated cost of $5.5m.

This seeks to “improve case management systems; (ii) the establishment of co-ordination mechanisms among all institutions involved in the criminal justice sector; adoption of new procedural rules; and training and activities to sensitise judges, attorneys-at-law and prosecutors to address VAW cases.

The lack of co-ordination among government agencies was identified as a potential risk, along with insufficient data generation for effective monitoring and evaluation; and resistance in the justice sector to changes proposed by new case management.

The profile added that risks and mitigation measures would be analysed by stakeholders during the analysis phase.