Living With Community Violence: A Conversation With Primary School Children in Kingston’s Inner City

Abstract

The constant exposure of children to community violence is an issue of great concern worldwide. Kingston, Jamaica, is one of the most violent cities in the Western Hemisphere, and children are exposed to acts of extreme brutality with considerable regularity. Using a qualitative methodology, this article seeks to examine the manner in which young Jamaican children, in one of Kingston’s most violent communities seek to make sense of what is taking place around them. A number of themes are identified within this struggle as the children are deeply affected by the violence that is a part of their daily existence. There is a need for urgent crisis intervention as the persistence of community violence in Kingston shows little sign of abating.