CariSECURE crime prevention programme
Information Certainty: Speculative
Deployment Purpose: Surveillance, Crime Prevention
| Summary |
|---|
| CariSecure is a United Nations Development Programme crime prevention initiative active in the East Caribbean and Barbados. It seeks to reduce 'youth crime'. In order to accomplish this goal it has set up an interoperable PRMIS (Police Records Management System). Though it is a low grade system from Softengi, evidence shows that in practice that ACRO UK has helped to run biometrics on the system also. Softengi is an AI company. It is possible that the system was set up in such a way that it can be run through other predictive policing software. The programme crosses 8 countries and benefits from funding from USAID, as well as the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (UK FCDO) and the ACRO Criminal Records Office. |
Products and Institutions:
| Product Deployed | Softengi PRMIS |
|---|---|
| Institutions ⠉ | Softengi |
| Datasets | Unknown Dataset 0139 |
| Search software |
Status and Events:
| Status | Ongoing |
|---|---|
| Events | Start (11 March 2022, Documented, , No description) |
| Start Date | |
| End Date |
Users:
| Involved Entities | ACRO UK |
|---|---|
| Managed by | United Nations Development Programme |
| Used by | Royal Grenada Police Force |
Location:
Description[ ]
CariSecure is a UNDP programme designed to help reduce 'youth crime'. In practice this has meant the creation of an interoperable data based predictive policing system. Evidence shows collaboration with ACRO UK the UK's foreign crime prevention service who state that they have used biometrics on the system. The system has been developed by Softgeni and can most likely have biometric entries added on.
CariSECURE draws on a public health approach to crime prevention. In adopting this approah, the Project workS with technical personnel in public institutions to standardize and disaggregate citizen security data across the region, and build the analytical capacity of public institutions to use such data to identify and measure youth crime and violence trends and resilience factors, draw conclusions on the actual state of citizen security in each country, and identify possible interventions. Finally, the Project promote a culture of evidence-based policy-making and program development in national institutions, which focuses on addressing the root causes of youth involvement in violence and crime 1
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) launched an automated Police Records Management Information System (PRMIS), February 24, 2022. The PRMIS will transition police stations from paper-based reporting to a digital format which will assist the Police Force in improving citizen security data management, analysis, and monitoring for crime. The launch, held at the Grenada Trade Center, Morne Rouge Grand Anse, St Georges, marked the official handover of almost US$50,000 in computer hardware, including workstations, monitors, printers, and software to the RGPF to support the implementation of key activities under USAID’s CariSECURE Project. The CariSECURE Project was designed to improve policy-making and program development on youth crime and violence in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean through the use of quality, comparable and reliable national citizen security data. Grenada is the first of seven beneficiary countries to launch the system. PRMIS is being piloted at three police stations – South St. George Police Station, St. David’s Police Station and Sauteur’s Police Station. The project is also handing over equipment which will allow the digital platform to be rolled out to every police station on the island. The newly-launched police report application will allow officers from pilot stations to capture real-time data on incidents reported – a stepping stone to more standardized, accurate crime data, which in turn allows for greater evidence-based decision-making to reduce crime and violence. Through the platform, officers will also be able to identify and map crime hot spots, as well as share information on ‘persons of interest,’ including their traits and crime footprint. In addition to providing greater information, citizens can expect improved efficiency as the system eliminates the need for multiple crime incident reports. The use of PRMIS will prompt officers to collect more detailed accounts from victims and witnesses to support investigators with closing cases quickly and efficiently. Additionally, the application will greatly support the RGPF’s crime analysis unit for which the Project has provided training and equipment for officers assigned. It is also envisioned that PRMIS will support the sharing of crime data internally and eventually to other agencies in the justice system opening communication channels – this inter-agency collaboration will boost capacities and improve the RGPF’s ability to resolve and prevent incidences of crime 3
Softengi is the provider of this system.
The developed information management system contributes to the digital transformation of citizen security and policing of the Caribbean region. The benefits of PRMIS for the Caribbean police include: Data-driven policing resulting from the availability of real-time data for reporting, further analysis, and strategizing. Easier management of police records, Better communication and data exchange between officers working at the same station. Enhancement of cross-station interoperability. Transferring cases between police stations is automated. Standardization of police data management across eight countries Introduction of advanced security and audit management capabilities that ensure transparency of information management 2
ACRO UK can be found to be involved in the programme, evidence from a PowerPoint presentation in which they specify this usage has been sourced.
ACRO has been a key partner to CariSECURE in the development of PRMIS, a digital policing platform designed to capture crime data. Through ACRO’s support, CariSECURE has been able to develop additional features to the application including functionality related to biometrics, convictions, the person’s registry as well as security and auditing features of the application. ACRO has been a staunch champion of PRMIS and CariSECURE and a committed partner in the modernization of police forces throughout the region. The system is currently being rolled out to Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname 5
Information from a UNDP briefing states that:
CariSECURE also benefits from complementary funding from the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development
Office (UK FCDO) and the ACRO Criminal Records Office. The project supports the development of systems and capacities of public officers to generate, analyse and use data to develop targeted policies and strategies to effectively manage crime and violence and by extension to reduce and prevent youth involvement. The Project’s rationale is based on the premise that the increased use of both quantitative and qualitative information by public servants at state institutions leads to more evidence-based decision making. It also allows for the identification of successful strategies, programming interventions and policies which can be replicated and scaled up for widespread impact at the national level. In July 2020, CariSECURE was awarded a contract extension to September 30, 2021, with an additional USAID allocation of USD 1.45 million in funding, resulting in a total investment for CariSECURE over the 5-year project of US$9.165 million 4
References
- a b "{CariSecure".
- a b "Police Records Management System For Caribbean Countries". (2022) <https://softengi.com/projects/police-records-management-system-for-caribbean-countries/> Accessed: 2022-11-23
- a b "Grenada Police Force Goes High Tech with Support from USAID and UNDP". (2022) <https://bb.usembassy.gov/grenada-police-force-goes-high-tech-with-support-from-usaid-and-undp/> Accessed: 2022-11-23
- a b "UNDP Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Briefing Package". United Nations Development Programme (2022) <https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2022-08/RR%20Briefing%20Package%20-%20UNDP%20Barbados%20Eastern%20Caribbean%2C%20May%2022%20%28short-general%29.pdf>
- a b "Annual Report 2021-22". ACRO Criminal Records Office UK (2022) <https://acro.police.uk/ACRO/media/ACRO-Library/5-Develop,-expand-and-promote-v4.pdf>