Project Title: 
Community Empowerment and Transformation Project II (COMET II)

Project Overview:
Country: Jamaica
Duration: 2013 - 2018

Contractor(s)/Grantee(s):
Tetra Tech, DPK

Objective:
This project seeks to build safer communities through strengthening community and civil society organizations, increase citizen cooperation and accountability, strengthen juvenile justice and at-risk youth programs, and improve community policing practices.

Program Targets:
COMET II shall seek to build the basis for longer-term and sustainable, positive social change by incorporating the following targets into its programming:

• Empower local leaders and community organizations to take leadership in promoting and partaking in greater civic engagement;
• Enhance relationships and build confidence among key stakeholders, including police, community groups, civil society organizations, and key governmental institutions;
• Build consensus among key stakeholders and the general public on the need for transparency and accountability in government, in particular, and society in general, and on the specific reforms needed to achieve it;
• Support key partners and stakeholders in juvenile diversion (alternatives to jail) programs;
• Support of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Community Based Policing (CBP) program and further entrench CBP at all levels of JCF training: and
• Support community-based GCC activities related to disaster risk reduction in urban areas, which aim to increase the adaptive capacity of community members and local governance systems.

Program Status:
The project is expected to capitalize on existing USAID and Government of Jamaica endeavors and create new opportunities for promoting community-based partnerships that will prevent violence and crime, support for the rule of law, control corruption, and increase citizen participation and youth engagement. The project is also expected to integrate global climate change (GCC) adaptation issues into select activities. In particular, GCC activities will focus on improving the adaptive capacity of urban poor communities to be better prepared for the impacts of extreme weather events (i.e. hurricanes and droughts).