JAMEL Strengthens Jamaica’s Crime Prevention and Justice Systems via MEL Support
ME&A collaborated with the Government of Jamaica (GoJ) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to combat youth crime and violence through the recently completed Jamaica Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Support (JAMEL) Activity funded by USAID/Jamaica. Over two years, the $2.3 million activity enhanced monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) capacity; strengthened partnerships; and improved the creation, use, and sharing of Youth Crime and Violence Prevention (YCVP) data to boost citizen security and reduce homicides in vulnerable communities.
The activity addressed MEL challenges faced by NGOs and GoJ ministries, including the Ministry of National Security, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Education and Youth, by revising MEL plans, developing performance monitoring protocols, and conducting specialized training. JAMEL engaged NGOs through tailored MEL capacity-building programs and collaborated with the Planning Institute of Jamaica to improve data access and sharing.
Jamaica has faced persistent challenges with violent crime, recording the highest murder rate in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2020 and rising crime rates in 2021. Root causes, such as poverty, limited economic opportunities, and weak social cohesion, have disproportionately affected young men under 35 from economically disadvantaged communities, who are often both the victims and perpetrators of violence.
JAMEL exceeded its objectives, particularly in training, by employing a combination of in-person, remote, and hybrid sessions. The activity advanced crime prevention, helped built trust between citizens and law enforcement, and enhanced MEL capacity across key GoJ ministries. While some planned partnerships under the Government-to-Government (G2G) agreement faced challenges, JAMEL successfully addressed data-sharing issues and fostered stronger collaboration among YCVP stakeholders.
Additionally, JAMEL completed a Rule of Law Assessment, which analyzed priorities, challenges, and opportunities in Jamaica’s justice sector, as well as a Youth Risk Factors Assessment and Youth Risk Intervention Age Assessment. The youth assessments guide sustainable data sharing and collaboration among YCVP stakeholders while addressing stakeholder fatigue by making recommendations for reducing overlapping and repetitive activities.
USAID/Jamaica awarded this task order to ME&A under the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Services (EVAL ME II) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to provide evaluation, monitoring, and assessment services for USAID missions and offices worldwide. This is a multiple award IDIQ with an overall ceiling of $655 million.