Bermudian criminologist Frankco Harris will discuss gang violence in Bermuda at a free presentation being offered by BEST and Bermuda College on Thursday [Oct 29].

A spokesperson said, “The Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce [BEST] and Bermuda College are very pleased to welcome Bermudian, Mr. Frankco Harris, to their first Eco Lunch & Learn presentation of the fall season.

“Mr. Harris is a Criminologist, Researcher and Policy Professional whose work focuses on youth justice, violence reduction, rehabilitation, mental health and criminal justice reform. He is completing a DPhil in Criminology at the University of Oxford, where his research examines the social and spatial dynamics of gang violence in Bermuda.

“The community are invited to attend this important and free lecture on Thursday, October 29th, to learn more about why gang violence in Bermuda cannot be understood as a problem of gangs alone or explained simply through models developed in larger cities. It shows how Bermuda’s small, closely connected setting shapes familiar dynamics such as inequality, reputation, retaliation and institutional mistrust—and how violence, in turn, reshapes relationships, movement, institutional engagement and everyday life.

“These island conditions do not cause violence, but they influence how it is experienced, reproduced and interrupted.”

Amy Harvey, Senior Lecturer in Earth and Environmental Science at Bermuda College, said, “In nature when populations have a high density there are intrinsic limiting factors that control population growth from within the population. These can be behavioural factors that affect death rates such as anti-social behaviour that may arise from competition due to lack of resources.

“Bermuda’s community is experiencing increased stress from lack of affordable housing, access to affordable food and an overall increased cost of living. Are these stressors adding to the uptick in anti-social behaviour on our island? In addition to social and economic stressors we are being impacted by environmental factors associated with climate change. Increased heat exposure and threats of extreme weather and are seeing increased crime rates in other jurisdictions. Is this impacting Bermuda too?

Read more here: https://bernews.com/2026/10/harris-to-discuss-gang-violence-at-college/