by Dr Neals J Chitan
Are we really serious about sustainable crime reduction in Grenada and the region?
Although I have been locally accused of blowing my own horn and self-promoting, as an International Crime Reduction Specialist, I will not stop speaking out on the need for sustainable crime-fighting strategies that “have teeth” and create lifelong impact on people’s behaviour, like our international flagship behaviour modification programme “Project STOP ‘n’ THINK.”
So, to the naysayers, I finally will challenge you to do your own investigation of our programme objectives, methodology and impact while speaking to North Western University’s Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Professor Ben Strull who in a meeting in St Kitts in 2018 proclaimed our “Project STOP ‘n’ THINK” Crime Reduction Programme one of the best CBT community empowerment programme he has seen.
You see my friends, I was moved to tears last weekend as I engaged over 500 juniors, teens and young adults in a summer camp in St Catherine, Jamaica and heard the powerful and life-changing sustainable impact of youth who attended our “Project STOP ‘n’ THINK” (PSAT) Camp in 2015. Imagine, one such PSAT 2015 camper now residing in Montego Bay, drove over 170 km to St Catherine just to see me again and tell of the powerful impact the concept has had on her life.
Another PSAT 2015 camper Delroy Sparkes spoke passionately of how deeply the concept impacted his life over the past 10 years, thus changing him from a shifty carefree teenager to now an honourable Jamaican Youth Parliamentarian. And yes, you still want me to adhere to your so-called “pseudo-humility protocol” of not blowing my own horn when real crime reduction strategies are so desperately needed in the region?
After landing back in Grenada on 2 August, I read the Now Grenada article “Harsh sentencing for St. Andrew trio in double murder case,” published on 2 August 2025 which vividly described the sentencing of 3 young men ages 30, 27 and 21 respectively, who broke out from police custody, jumped aboard a yacht and abducted, raped, killed and dumped the bodies of the American couple sleeping aboard, and now earning 87 years, 50 years and 44 years prison sentences respectively. Although at face value I have no problem with the sentencing in this matter, still in my heart I believe that 181 years of prison sentences is not a fair exchange for the brutal, horrific taking of 2 lives.
However, what caught my attention in this sentencing matter is the call for sustainable crime reduction programmes that address the anti-social and behavioural roots of such crimes. My blood ran cold when I heard the call from prestigious members and my friends of the Grenada Bar Association asking for concepts and strategies to mitigate the deep roots of crime and violence at a community level, when I offered it to them. I heard the same call from Justice Gilford, the presiding judge, as she meted out the sentences, probably unaware of my offer to the judiciary also.
If the truth be told, in the region, we keep on using a knee-jerk reactions and awareness plans when target-focused psychosocial education to medicate the deep-seated roots of crime and violence is crucially needed. We react just to win public favour or cool off public concerns with no plans for long-term sustainable engagements. We hold press conferences, have townhall meetings, compose slogans and erect community billboards as antidotes to the issues, when many of these same violent youth lack the literacy to even read our slogans.
In 2024, the Cabinet of Grenada, through the Ministry of Social and Community Development, engaged our internationally acclaimed crime reduction and community empowerment programme “Project STOP ‘n’ THINK” (PSAT) in 5 communities across Grenada, soon after a shooting that claimed the lives of 2 young men in the south of the island. Although it sought to target 5 communities, PSAT was so overwhelmingly accepted that 3 other communities also requested it. The 3-month programme engaged over 250 teens, youth and adults nationwide and culminated in a spectacular graduation of 206 individuals on 1 December 2024, with direct plans to engage another 15 communities in 2025, while also setting up the PSAT follow-up component in the already serviced 8 communities. Nothing happened since!!
Then there was the Grenada Bar Association with its PEACE Initiative blasting slogans across the airwaves and doing awareness press conferences regarding gun violence! Again, nothing happened since either, even if I too was involved with their PEACE Initiative and offered community empowerment and behavioural modification programming to them!!
So now listening to attorneys from the same fraternity who were involved in the PEACE Initiative asking again for programmes to address the roots causes of crime and violence when it was discussed over a year ago, one must ask, “was it another knee-jerk reaction and promotion from these ministries and stakeholders or was it really a concern for nation building? (No harm or hurt intended.)
Dr Neals Chitan is an International Social Skill Consultant and Crime Reduction Specialist who holds a PhD in Social and Behavioural Sciences and currently works in Grenada. He is the President/Founder of Motiv-8 For Change International, a Toronto-based Social Skill Agency, and can be reached from North America at 647-692-6330 and locally 473-416-8377 or at [email protected]
I’ve learned a long time ago to T.A.R (think, assess and react) and not R.A.T (React, assess and then think). I have also taught my child and my staff the same concept.
Excellent Work Dr Chitan, we need more..
Great article if we don’t teach children to co-regulate and self regulate in the earliest years ,they will struggle to do this in later years. We also need to offer support to parents on their parenting journey .We also need to address socio economic factors that impacts parents ability to parent effectively and society need to be better role models for children and young adults. It takes a village to raise children. A trauma informed approach is best with a solution focused strategy.
You’ve gotten it right on my friend!! That’s why on our PSAT team we have a certified Parenting Coach with 20 plus years experience. Any crime reduction model must have 3 dimensions, PREVENTION-INTERVENTION-REHABILITATION. That’s how our PSAT Program is designed, so it services from the cradle to the grave! Check our website out at http://www.motiv-8.org Blessings my friend!