Early intervention key to tackling gang crime, Lashley says

Social intervention from an early age must become a central pillar of Barbados’ crime prevention strategy if the country is to curb rising gang activity and youth offending, Minister of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice Michael Lashley has said.

As he piloted the Criminal Gangs (Prevention and Control) Bill through the Senate – the first minister to make a cross-chamber appearance under new constitutional arrangements – Lashley described the legislation as a “landmark bill” that fills a longstanding gap in the country’s criminal justice framework.

“I move this bill today because this bill is a landmark bill,” he said. “There’s nothing on our books that speaks to gangs. There’s nothing on our books relating to criminal law that speaks to gangs.”

The proposed legislation would provide law enforcement and prosecutors with an important new mechanism to address the recent increase in gang-related crime, firearm offences and violent crime, he said.

The bill was shaped through consultations with a wide cross-section of society, including members of the legal profession, trade unionists and ordinary citizens, he added.

While defending the need for stronger legal tools, the minister stressed that enforcement alone would not solve the country’s crime challenges. He argued that many offenders show warning signs long before they enter the criminal justice system.

Drawing on his experience as a criminal barrister, Lashley pointed to pre-sentencing reports prepared under the Penal System Reform Act, noting that they often reveal troubling behavioural patterns dating back to adolescence.

“Many times when you read it, at page 13 he got into trouble at school, at 14 he beat a teacher, at 15 marijuana use, at 16 got kicked out of school,” he said. “But in that report, there are no social interventions that come in to help this young man.”

Family instability and other social challenges frequently emerge in those reports, he said, underscoring the need for earlier intervention.

“We have to tailor our crime prevention programme to ensure that it involves early social intervention, so we can save some of those young people from getting involved in the criminal justice system.”

Lashley also renewed his support for the reintroduction of a drug court, arguing that substance dependency is often a contributing factor in criminal behaviour.

“I am an advocate of the return of the drug court, because many of the offences are a result of drug dependency,” he said, adding that incorporating such programmes into the justice system could produce positive results.

The minister further called for greater attention to crime victims and their families, warning that unresolved trauma and anger could create conditions that lead others towards criminal activity.

“The social intervention must be all-encompassing, not only the convicted person but also the victims,” he said.

Lashley also advocated for stronger offender monitoring measures, noting that some individuals commit additional offences while on bail. He said the government hoped to implement systems soon to improve offender monitoring and reduce the risk of repeat criminal behaviour. 

The criminal justice minister and City MP preceded Attorney General Wilfred Abrahams in the Senate on Friday, the first since December’s constitutional amendments, which allow ministers to appear across chambers.

(SB)