The security forces are being urged to deploy more female officers with teams that carry out anti-gang operations, to ensure that women in gangs are not treated differently than their male associates. 

This as a local research body has noted that criminal organizations take advantage of the fact that women involved in gangs receive little scrutiny. 

The recommendation was among 3 made by the Caribbean Research Policy Institute, CAPRI, during the presentation of the report ‘Hits and Missies; Women in Organised Violence in Jamaica’. 

CAPRI Director of Research Dr. Diana Thorburn explained that oftentimes, discussions about organised crime and violence tend to be about men, overlooking the role women play in gangs. 

She noted that the researchers found, among other things, that women’s involvement in gangs centred on them being couriers, financial controllers, and intelligence gatherers. 

Going forward, CAPRI wants the role women play in gangs to be acknowledged.

The research body also wants crime prevention strategies to incorporate gender sensitive perspectives without reinforcing stereotypes.

Another recommendation is for structural community transformation.  

Dr Thorburn stressed that in the case of women gangsters, the evidence must drive security policy.