News
Rehabilitation gets its own Department, Jaron Harvey is new Director with 86% success
Dana Malcolm and Wilkie Arthur
Staff Writers
#TurksandCaicos, December 5, 2023 – The Probation and Rehabilitation Unit of the Turks and Caicos government has transitioned to the Department of Rehabilitation and Community Services and armed with new strategies they are successfully helping to prevent recidivism in the country.
In an enlightening session for those involved on November 21st, the Department detailed that with its limited resources, it was already successfully helping to stop reoffending locally.
Jaron Harvey, Director of Rehabilitation led the event which focused on probation and parole, which they describe as alternatives to incarceration, fostering rehabilitation. For this rehabilitation to be successful, the Department has certain strategies, including addressing criminogenic needs for effective change and creating a holistic approach to the reintegration of offenders, including education, counseling, and employment.
Armed with an assessment plan, the Department of Rehabilitation and Community Services will aim to identify risk factors for re-offending in their clients based on criminogenic needs, these are factors that directly contribute to recidivism.
Cited as potential triggers were the criminal history, education and employment, family, companions, alcohol and drug dependence of the clients. Then the Department creates a plan to effectively keep them away from crime.
“We have to tailor our intervention to their learning style so if they learn by playing, we have to play games, if they learn by watching videos, we have to watch videos,” he said.
Despite their hard work, there are some social issues which are barriers to clients; these include employment and ID challenges, societal stigma and personal struggles like substance abuse, mental health concerns or lack of education.
“There is a negative perception about offenders in the Turks and Caicos, and part of that is because people don’t understand what services are being made available to people who are caught in the criminal web,” Harvey lamented.
Representatives at the event shared one of their success stories under the pseudonym ‘John Doe’. Doe was placed on probation for 18 months after committing burglary in January 2020. The team developed a case plan to address his criminogenic needs and he reported to a parole officer three times a week for sessions. By October of that year, he got an entry-level job and was promoted twice in four months. By June 2021, he completed probation successfully and broke down in tears in the courtroom testifying that this was his first victory in his entire life.
As of 2023, John Doe has not reoffended and is still fully employed.
“This is a testament to the power of support rehabilitation and transformation,” Harvey explained.
But John Doe isn’t the only success story, he’s not even an outlier. Between 2019 to 2023 of the 12 clients helped by the Department, only one re-offended.
“We are functioning at about 86% success rate with limited resources,” said Harvey
During the meeting, several questions and concerns were raised by Magnetic Media including the length of time that some offenders have to wait for parole, we are told some offenders wait out their entire sentence, and parole applications are still not approved.
The Department recently visited Cayman to further its knowledge and is looking to introduce an electronic monitoring system by 2024.
What the Department of Rehabilitation and Community Services wants now is to give former offenders a chance to reintegrate into society without stigma and more resources to help even more residents.
The Bahamas, August 27, 2026 – The Royal Bahamas Police Force wishes to inform members of the public that several individuals are scheduled to appear before the Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 27th August 2026, at 12:00 noon.
The individuals and charges are as follows:
An 18-year-old female is scheduled to be arraigned on the following charges:
Three (3) counts of Murder
Three (3) counts of Attempted Murder
Three (3) counts of Possession of a Firearm with Intent to Endanger Life
Three (3) counts of Possession of an Unlicensed Firearm
Two (2) counts of Possession of Ammunition
Armed Robbery
Abetment to Armed Robbery
Stealing
Receiving
The charges stem from three separate shooting incidents and an armed robbery that occurred on Friday, 21st August 2026, and Saturday, 22nd August 2026.
The first shooting occurred in the area of Soldier Road and Baillou Hill Road, resulting in the death of a 51-year-old male.
The second shooting occurred in the area of Joe Farrington Road, resulting in the death of a 52-year-old male.
The third shooting occurred in the area of Gladstone Road, resulting in the death of a 36-year-old male.
The armed robbery occurred at a business establishment in the area of Carmichael Road and Baillou Hill Road.
A 21-year-old male is scheduled to be arraigned on one charge of:
- Murder
The charge stems from a shooting incident that occurred on Tuesday, 21st July 2026, in the area of Samson Street, Nassau Village, which resulted in the death of a 28-year-old male.
A 32-year-old male is scheduled to be arraigned on the following charges:
- Murder
- Attempted Murder
These charges stem from a shooting incident that occurred on Wednesday, 24th December 2025, in the area of Graham Drive, Yellow Elder, which resulted in the death of a 25-year-old male.
RBPF, PACD
by Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
PROVIDENCIALES, TCI — In a country where government press conferences are virtually non-existent, ministers are often difficult for
journalists to access and regular broadcast television news has disappeared, TCI Innovation, Technology and Energy Minister E. Jay Saunders has challenged Caribbean media to become “impossible to ignore.”
Speaking at the Caribbean Broadcasting Union gathering, Saunders argued that the Caribbean does not have a relevance problem but a “discoverability and positioning problem.”
Discoverability is precisely the issue in Saunders’ home country. Even Government’s own attempts at video news broadcasting have struggled against the realities of consistently producing a daily, weekly or even monthly newscast.
The difficulties confronting TCI media extend well beyond algorithms: limited advertising revenue, underfunding, shortages of trained professionals and insufficient human capacity leave newsrooms struggling for both staff and stamina.
Then there is the reality of operating in one of the region’s smallest societies. Politicians, journalists, advertisers, businesses and the subjects of stories often exist within the same tight economic and social circles. A controversial report that might create a ripple elsewhere can produce a tsunami in TCI, intensifying concerns among journalists about commercial and professional victimisation.
Saunders believes AI can help.
He urged Caribbean media to use the technology to transform one original story into television, radio, web, podcast, social and translated content without multiplying newsroom workload.
He also wants regional journalism structured so AI systems can find, understand and trust Caribbean sources, moving media beyond traditional SEO into Answer Engine Optimisation.
His ultimate message was emphatic: “Use AI not to make Caribbean media more artificial — but to make Caribbean voices more visible.”
For Turks and Caicos media, however, becoming visible may require more than technology. It requires an environment in which journalism can survive.
That last sentence is where I think we land the plane. It acknowledges that EJ actually has some us
Bahamas News
Bahama Brass Band Invitation Sparks Heritage Debate Ahead of TCI Constitutional Holiday
Turks and Caicos, August 20, 2026 – The planned participation of the Bahama Brass Band in the Turks and Caicos Islands’ inaugural Constitutional Holiday celebrations on August 30 has sparked public debate over culture, heritage and the historical contributions of Turks and Caicos Islanders abroad.
Organizers defended the invitation, saying the band’s inclusion is intended to highlight the deep historical ties between the two countries
and honor Turks and Caicos men who helped establish and develop the institution in Grand Bahama.
According to the organizers, the Bahama Brass Band began in 1955 in Pine Ridge, Freeport, with Turks and Caicos Islanders, including the late Deacon Reuben Hall Sr. of Middle Caicos and Jenkins Williams and Mervin Hendfield of North Caicos, among those who helped build its foundation. The band eventually grew to more than 50 men.
The organizers also pointed to the participation of Turks and Caicos men in The Bahamas’ Independence celebrations on July 10, 1973, arguing that their contributions became part of Bahamian history while maintaining strong connections to their homeland.
Supporters say bringing the band home represents an opportunity to honor those pioneers, showcase their regional influence and expose younger generations to an important part of Turks and Caicos history.
However, concerns raised publicly described the invitation as potentially disrespectful to local culture and heritage. Organizers acknowledged those concerns, apologizing to anyone who felt overlooked or offended, while maintaining that no disrespect was intended.
The committee said the event should ultimately unite rather than divide, presenting the band’s history as evidence of the reach and resilience of Turks and Caicos heritage.
PHOTO CREDIT: Bahamas Brass Band
