Project STAR expands opportunities in May Pen

Sustained community interventions under Project STAR and its partners are being credited with measurable improvements in safety, social development and economic opportunity across May Pen and surrounding communities, once known for high levels of violence and instability.

According to Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) data presented at a recent town hall meeting organised by Project STAR, Clarendon has recorded a sharp fall in murders over the past decade, with the most significant gains emerging since the introduction of community-based programmes. The parish registered 169 murders in 2017. By 2023 the figure had dropped to 104, then to 69 in 2024 . The downward trajectory continued into 2025, with 41 murders, representing a 59.4 per cent decline.

“This was a milestone year for us,” said Sergeant Leroy Chambers, describing the drop as both “significant” and “encouraging”. He attributed the improvement to partnerships between the JCF, Project STAR, the Social Development Commission, private-sector partners, the restorative-justice system and community members.

He stressed that the strategy was deliberate. Using crime-trend data, the JCF and Project STAR identified communities requiring urgent intervention, especially where young people were both victims and perpetrators.

Initial focus was placed on Treadlight, Racetrack and Havana Heights, with Cherry Tree Lane later added after assessments showed how violence spilled across neighbouring areas.

“These communities were not selected out of a hat,” Chambers said. “They were selected based on data that showed there was a need for urgent change.”

Targeted youth development, training and community-empowerment programmes have since strengthened local groups, improved social cohesion and contributed to reductions in crime, effects that are now reflected across the wider parish.

SOCIAL SERVICES

Beyond policing outcomes, Project STAR’s Community Hubs have delivered essential social services. Sheronie Lewin-Lawrence, Community Project Officer, said residents have obtained birth certificates — some for the first time — enabling them to apply for Tax Registration Numbers, National Insurance Scheme registration, training opportunities, employment, passports and school enrolment for their children. In one case, a four-year-old who had been unable to attend school due to missing documentation is now enrolled following assistance from the hub.

Farmers have also benefited, receiving help to secure Rural Agricultural Development Authority identification cards, giving them access to subsidies, duty concessions, disaster-relief support and official Jamaica Agricultural Society receipt books — tools that strengthen livelihoods and support efforts to curb praedial larceny.

A core pillar of Project STAR’s social transformation has been the Male Mentorship Programme, which identifies respected community figures and trains them to mentor at-risk boys and young men.

“These men already have influence,” said Romel Gordon, Community Services Coordinator for East and Central at Project STAR, “and now they are using that influence in a positive way.”

The programme has led to increased male participation in behaviour-change sessions, stronger peer support and growing mentorship relationships between senior figures and younger men. It aims to model responsibility, leadership and positive manhood.

Another major initiative, he said, is the Kicking Forward Football Programme, which engages boys aged eight to 16. While football draws them in, the curriculum extends to leadership development, conflict resolution, career awareness, sexual and reproductive health, teamwork and decision-making. Gordon acknowledged, however, that encouraging full engagement with the personal-development components remains a challenge, and said the programme is being reviewed to ensure deeper impact.

Kelly Griffith, training and job placement team lead at Project STAR, said more than 170 people have been trained in workplace behaviour, résumé writing and interview preparation, with over 70 participants placed in jobs. By partnering directly with employers — including major call centres and production firms — Project STAR has aligned training with labour-market needs and created clearer pathways to employment.

Looking ahead, Griffith said new training programmes are being developed in customer service, administrative support, event planning and retail merchandising, as well as entrepreneurial skills in cosmetology, agriculture and construction.

Sergeant Chambers urged residents to continue supporting Project STAR, remain engaged with youth, and strengthen partnerships across communities. “In doing so,” he said, “we are creating the environment needed to realise Vision 2030, a Jamaica where we can live, work, do business and raise families in safety.”