Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer
Assistant Commissioner of Police Glenmore Hinds (left), head of Operation Kingfish; Juan Carlos Espinola (centre), resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme, and University of the West Indies (UWI) Vice Chancellor, Professor E. Nigel Harris, share a joke during the launch of the Caribbean Institute of Public Safety and Justice at the UWI, Mona campus, on Thursday.

Mark Beckford, Gleaner Writer

Research in crime-fighting strategies is set to be expanded in the Caribbean as the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are collaborating on establishing a research institute. This was revealed at a press conference at the office of the Vice Chancellor, UWI Mona on Thursday.

The Caribbean Institute of Public Safety and Justice (CIPSJ), which is the brain child of UWI Vice Chancellor Professor E. Nigel Harris, will as its main objective focus on research in crime, security and the justice system, the delivery of education and training to regional law enforcement personnel, and the provision of consultancy services and policy advise to regional governments.

"Increasing levels of all forms of crime in all Caribbean nations threaten their growth, development and stability. While the police and security forces and other agencies are taking several initiatives to combat rising crime, there needs to be an entity that can conduct research, identify best practices that may be applicable to the region and build human resource capacity through education to combat crime and criminal violence," said Professor Harris.

A pre-feasibility study, which will last for six months, is currently underway for the establishment of the CIPSJ, and it is expected to bring together a number of initiatives addressing security already taking place at UWI's main campuses Mona, Cave Hill and St. Augustine. This study will determine the most rational way of structuring an institute to address security issues affecting the region.

This institute will be the second such targeting wealth creation and areas of threat that impact the nation to be established by Professor Harris.