The chairman of the Prison Officers Association insisted that there is a need in the island’s jails for a programme specifically targeted at addressing gang activity.

Timothy Seon told The Royal Gazette this month that prison officers could help with the educational and rehabilitative process but professional support was required.

A mother who lost her son to gang violence added this week that psychological help was critically needed both in and out of prisons to break the cycle of gang-related and violent crime brought about by generational trauma in Bermuda.

She spoke on the same day that Cup Match cricketer Khiry Furbert was killed in an early-morning shooting. Police have given no indication that the incident was gang related.

The Government has announced in recent months its plans to introduce measures intended to address the psychological effects of generational trauma and gang involvement.

MPs voted in favour of the National Violence Reduction Strategy that includes intervention and the “restoration of gang members”, while funds were set aside as part of a social services package to address rehabilitative programmes within the prisons.

Mr Seon said: “This has been going on since the mid-1990s.

“We have yet to produce any programme that is specifically geared for someone who perhaps got into gang activity because their brother or cousin was murdered, for instance.

“At least a third of Bermuda’s inmates have gang affiliations.

“We can advocate for a programme, we can give some further insight as we are working with these young men, but implementation should be with professionals.”

The mother said one vital element that the community lacked was professional emotional and psychological support.

The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said she spoke to men on the street who were at risk of entering gangs or getting involved in gun and other violent crime.

She told the Gazette: “They feel that it is better to kill than be killed.

“A lot of them feel that it has gone too far and there is no way out, there’s no alternative. A lot of them are hurt because they have gone through the childhood trauma of losing friends and family members.

“They grew up watching their daddy, uncle or brother die, and are saying, ‘I don’t hurt any more’. They have no value for life and they are getting younger.

“They definitely need professional support, both psychologically and emotionally. Something is needed specifically to address this generational trauma.

“There is no facility for it. There are individual and private entities that are available to them if they want it, but they are expensive.”

Addressing her comments, a government spokesman said: “The Government of Bermuda is deeply committed to addressing the root causes of violence, including the psychological effects of generational trauma and gang involvement.

“The Department of Corrections recently secured an additional $400,000 to strengthen its rehabilitation services. These funds are being used to enhance programming and hire additional trained facilitators and counselling staff to work alongside qualified psychologists and social workers.

“This investment enables more focused group and one-on-one treatment options, allowing the department to better support individuals in our correctional system who have been affected by violence and trauma.”

He said that from a wider community perspective, the Ministry of National Security is expanding its co-ordinated Crisis Response Team, to make sure that there can be more immediate and comprehensive assistance to individuals and communities in need.

The spokesman added: “Additionally, we are broadening our Community Counselling Programme, offering both individual and group sessions led by trained grief and trauma counsellors.

“These sessions, ranging from ten to 12 weeks, are designed to help affected persons cope with their experiences, rebuild their mental and emotional wellbeing and foster long-term healing.

“Furthermore, we are introducing a family counselling initiative aimed at supporting families who have lost loved ones or whose members are involved in gang-related activities.

“As for the work of pastor Leroy Bean and the Gang Violence Reduction Team, Pastor Bean continues to have the full confidence and support of the minister.

“The highly sensitive and confidential nature of the GVRT’s efforts means that much of their critical intervention and trust-building work cannot be publicly disclosed.

“However, these efforts remain an integral part of the Government’s multifaceted approach to combating violence and promoting mental health and wellbeing across the island.”