Residents 18 years of age and over are invited to participate in a town hall meeting to discuss safety and safety issues on Sept. 12 from 5:45 to 7 p.m. at the St. Croix Central High School cafeteria.
The town hall is sponsored by Access to Racial and Cultural Health Institute (ARCH) and the Caribbean Exploratory Research Center of the University of the Virgin Islands partners in the V.I. Safe Communities Project.
The Project hopes to demonstrate the effectiveness of utilizing data to inform public policies and leverage local funds to combat crime, implement prevention programs and revise school disciplinary policies.
Organizers say the findings from the project will demonstrate the root causes of crime in the territory and identify public policies associated with structural racism. The data will help leaders and policymakers allot funds, revise and develop policies and support strategic interventions to reduce violence and criminal activity, especially in low-income neighborhoods.
The team of researchers from the Caribbean Exploratory Research Center includes Noreen Michael, Ariana Athanase, Azriel Williams and Teh’Rhon Rabsatt. Representing ARCH Institute are Duane Howell and Na’Zirah Armstrong. The project is supported with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Community members are also encouraged to take the survey at https://surveymonkey.com/r/publicsafetyandlawenforcement. For more information, email usvisafecommunities@uvi.edu.
