Building a Safe Community
The PLP’s approach to national security, which prioritises tackling the root causes of crime rather than enforcement, has paid dividends with more peaceful communities and productive activities for those who were once caught up in gangs. Still, there is more work to be done to modernise our uniformed services and enhance our work to bring lasting calm to Bermuda’s communities.
Your next PLP Government will:
- Engage in meaningful reviews of the police, fire, corrections, regiment and customs services to ensure that our services are modernised, prepared and equipped to assist the public and keep Bermuda safe.
- Through collaboration, develop a National Crime Prevention Plan specifically focused on prevention, rehabilitation and reintegration. It will forge key partnerships with stakeholders to identify policies and programmes to reduce crime and ensure that the public is safe on land and in our territorial waters.
- Utilise the expertise of the Gang Violence Reduction Team to ensure that the good work already started continues. The Redemption Farm programme will continue, while the next phase will include new concepts geared at positive life skills training.
- Assist Bermudians who are looking for a way out of gangs by directing them onto a path of completed education if a GED has not been attained. We will encourage those looking to increase their skills/training to make them marketable and attractive for employment.
- Develop secure family structures by providing parenting classes to mothers, fathers or guardians.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM
The PLP Government has made progress in reforming our criminal justice system with the reform of our cannabis laws, expungement of convictions, revisions to jury selection, enhanced penalties for sexual predators and public notification of sex offenders.
The next PLP Government will:
- Support the work of the Law Reform Commission to review and update Bermuda’s Criminal Code and Summary Offences Act, removing outdated offences.
- Facilitate the creation of a prison cooperative for prisoners to learn new trade skills and earn money, while implementing enhanced work release programmes aimed at providing incentives for businesses to train, develop and hire inmates.
- Increase support for probation services and expand treatment programmes for offenders with mental health, substance abuse or violence issues, and enhance provision of transitional living.
- Implement a compulsory online “unconscious bias” training programme for all jurors.
- Introduce sexual exploitation laws including revenge porn protection laws.
- Implement annual training on sexual violence and unconscious bias for all police, magistrates and judges.