ITTA BENA, Miss.— A Mississippi Valley State University faculty member is pulling back the cover on issues related to her homeland of Jamaica in a new project.
MVSU’s Dr. Sherill Morris-Francis is behind a new book series entitled, "Crime and Violence in the Caribbean: Lessons from Jamaica."
Morris-Francis, who serves as an assistant professor and graduate coordinator in the MVSU Department of Criminal Justice, said the project is the first publication in series that will address serious criminal issues affecting the Caribbean.
“The book gives an analysis of specific crime issues facing the region, providing an understanding of the causes, risk factors, and impact,” said Morris-Francis. “The book covers recent homicide trends, gangs, drug trafficking, cases of murder-suicide, money laundering as well as the issue of deportation and crime.”
Morris-Francis said the concept behind the book series arose from the shared interest in the Caribbean Crime and Justice Association, an off-shoot of the International Section in the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.
“I am the co-chair for this group and invited members to collaborate on this project. Members of the Association are mostly former Caribbean nationals who still have roots or families living in the Caribbean. The book reflects our deep and growing concern about recent trends in the Caribbean that threaten the safety of its citizens and the potential of the region,” she explained.
Morris-Francis and her colleagues are in the process of completing the second book on crime in the Caribbean, focusing on violence and crime against women and youth. The proposed publication date is later this year.
Morris-Francis said the growing concern about the high levels of crime that exist in countries like the Caribbean was an inspiration while composing the book.
“While these islands are known for their idyllic beaches and resorts, popular tourist destinations, and the perfect wedding destination, many of these islands, especially the English-speaking islands, share the common problem of rising crime and violence rates,” she said.
“These islands boast a largely young population, high unemployment rates, and in several countries, a high percentage of the population resides in urban areas, which increased their vulnerability to crime victimization,” Morris-Francis added.
As a Caribbean national, Morris-Francis feels that enough is not known about the levels and causes of crime in the Caribbean. She also noted that there is little information provided in textbooks to shed light on the full impact of crime in the region.
“Most comparative criminal justice texts cover issues in other parts of the world, not the Caribbean. We intend to fill this gap,” she said.
Morris-Francis received her Ph.D. in Juvenile Justice from Prairie View A&M University in 2009. Before joining MVSU’s faculty, she was the assistant dean in the College of Juvenile Justice and Psychology at Prairie View.
Her master’s degree in Social Work-Agency Administration and Bachelor of Science in General Social Work are from the University of the West Indies, Jamaica.
She has extensive experience working with teen mothers and young men “at risk” in Jamaica and girls in detention facilities in Canada. She is the co-chair of the Caribbean Crime and Justice Association, a registered group in the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences and the vice chair for the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Section for 2018-2020.
In 2010, Morris-Francis, along with two colleagues, completed an assessment of children in conflict with the law in Jamaica, an evaluation study commissioned by the Jamaican Office of the Children’s Advocate. She was one of the 2015-2017 Health Disparities Research Training Program (HDRTP) Scholars, Junior Faculty Scholar for two years, in the HDRTP through Jackson State University. Her research interests include Program Implementation and Evaluation; Minorities and the Juvenile Justice System; School Factors and Delinquency, Juvenile Mental Health Issues, Female Juveniles, Domestic Violence; and Restorative and Community Justice.
In addition to her position as the assistant professor and graduate coordinator, Morris-Francis serves as the director of academic assessment at MVSU.