A groundbreaking study examining vulnerable communities in Jamaica has uncovered a complex psychological landscape where young males utilize performative bravado as a protective mechanism against systemic violence and neglect. The 2025 Citizens’ Rights, Roles, Responsibilities and Practices Survey, conducted by The Mico University College with funding from Jamaicans For Justice, reveals how adolescents in economically marginalized neighborhoods develop elaborate survival strategies in response to persistent aggression from both criminal gangs and security forces.