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Rethink crime prevention
By Peter Polack Cayman Islands police recently revealed that over 800 suspect residents of that small island are under the restriction of their liberty, whilst investigations stumble on into the sunset. Alarming enough for a figure that high, it comes from one of the smallest islands in the Caribbean, coincidentally a British possession. This number is likely to double if you include accused persons before the court as they meander towards some form of justice.
This is unaffected by their $100 million budget dedicated to other corners of law enforcement, but not crime prevention.
This scenario is duplicated throughout the Caribbean with little or no attempt to substantially repair a failing system.
If that were not frightening enough, over 20 per cent of the Cayman Islands [population has] a criminal conviction, giving new meaning to the annual Pirates Week.
The recently elected government of those small islands has failed to address a perpetual problem, more shameful given the mass shooting in the constituency of the premier without substantive youth intervention thereafter. That government spent some time on their early ascension to office to ensure budgets for their government chauffeurs while some principled ministers refused that office bonus.
This diorama is exhibited throughout the Caribbean at many levels but with the same entrenched, archaic, colonial law enforcement and legal system, the handmaidens of failed governments. Some accused have languished in Jamaican prisons for decades only to be released short of the grave with nominal payments.
There are new things available to the forward thinking.
Simple correction
Law-abiding people are generally unconcerned about crime, police, courts or prison as they go about their daily business in the supermarket, banks and sidewalks, often surrounded by suspicious persons on police bail, accused persons before the courts as well as repeat offenders released from prison. If this situation came to mind, people would be afraid to venture into the streets.
Governments are renowned for kicking the failed systems of crime prevention and the administration of justice down the road.
At one time in the Cayman Islands, a former director of public prosecutions, now judge, sought to put forward the ridiculous assertion that criticism of the administration of justice system would bring it into disrepute. It is that kind of thinking which has kept that failed system in park.
There is no new thinking and even fewer resources for giant court lists and overcrowded police cells and prisons.
A simple correction that would start to help things along is the change of court or police dates by administrative acts, often time used in some lower courts. People need not attend court unless there is a trial, or the police, for charge or release. The repeated and voluminous bail documents only add to the bureaucratic nightmare.
Jamaica’s justice minister has sought to address this problem using a solution from Rwanda. It is a step but not a stride in the right direction given the history of government in power. Others should follow and supersede that baby tippy toe.
Crime penalties
Another helpful strategy would be for the man in the street to understand there is no correlation between an increase in crime penalties and a decrease in crimes. It does not work, just like a decrease in murders often leaves equally serious crimes like rape, assault or house invasions, high or on the increase.
Big announcements about larger penalties for crimes is an old, musty chestnut used by politicians, in cahoots with their legal advisors, foisted on an unsuspecting public to give the impression something is being done. Nothing is being done and a blind man can tell you that crime must be attacked before it starts.
More changes are available but they cannot come from inside the belly of the beast.
The answer is not importing more steel for more security grills. The answer has to come from viable, modern proposals by new political thought, not the old, entrenched status quo promising not to run again next election.
The time is now and the diaspora should not support a Potemkin or fake administration with failed anti-crime strategies. There are many young politicians with modern ideas, not from the realm of nepotism, that need to be given a chance to save the Caribbean. We can only help ourselves.
Round and round the merry-go-round.
Peter Polack is a former criminal lawyer in the Cayman Islands for several decades. He is also the author of several books, with his latest being a compendium of Russian espionage activities of almost 500 Soviet spies expelled from nearly 100 countries worldwide from 1940 to 1988.
Source: Nation
Has the recently held elections in Barbados not indicated that the spate of crime and violence, particularly the murder rate, not been normalized? For nobody really cared. This was never a burning issue, though serially raised by the then Leader of the Opposition.
And if those elections suggested that Bajans give not a flying uck, why persist? Certainly, this dictatorial government, making history by getting three 30-loves in a row, is not under any real pressure to do anything bout um, even if they cared. And there’s no need to.
So let’s stop fooling ourselves. For this is the brave new world of Huxley.
The elections showed that the government in waiting was not perceived to be ‘fit for purpose’.
This writer disagrees. For that simplictic political geometry alone cannot explain the new elected dictatorship culture which the population of voters seem insistent on, over three cycles now.
We see no set of factors making the then opposition, and indeed this current administration markedly different, in any other way, from what we’ve had before.
Look at the 30 people on one side. These people are as kakistocratic as in the days of Peanuts Morrison.
Of course, if the DLP had won the judgement would have been the same by this writer. While scribes like you would have been seeing RAT as a new political god, like all previous prime ministers became.
As always you can have your opinion.
The chaos that existed from the lost decade period; precipitous economic decline, the infighting between Thorne and Yearwood and even before meshed with the enormous popularity of MIA for reasons known did not and continue to factor?
Carry on smartly.
This is not necessarily an exchange to be filled with hardened positions, on this side.
Or the certainties of precieved political mistakes.
Merely an ongoing effort to try to understand the forces which have seemingly and permanently changed the political character of a country in ways hithertofore unknown.
We’ve had PMs just as or even more popular than Mottley before. We see so measurable departure from the socalled lost decade and the last eight years under Mottley. The types of “infighting” between Thone and Yearwood have always had anologues within political parties. Mottley’s and Arthur’s was no different to St.John’s and Blackman’s. Barrow’s and Caddle’s.
Given that Mottley has done very little to put the country on a more sustainable path, imdeed by some metrics weve been worse off, these known variables mentioned by you, are all valid but insufficient to explain why a country with a tradition of oppositional politics would, for three straight elections, fully go for the elected dictatorship.
Maybe at sometime in the future, when we’ve both dead, unbiased political historians will see this phenomenon as fertile ground for academic enquiry.
Unlike you, this writer can never be cowed into submission by this monster which the country has created. A country has no monopoly on being right! And there nothing unique about Mottley. We’ll bet that, like the others before, she’ll be dead and gone and the country will move on as though never lived at all.
The final words are all yours!
Thorne’s treatment of his fellow DLP party members were unacceptable as he proved himself to be a little Hitler dictator tyrant when he became DLP party leader and leader of opposition through hook and crook shenanigans off the back of his elected BLP seat crossing the floor. This practice has now been killed dead.
The public said No Way Jose get outta here and he was consigned to the dustbin of history and he lost his little position of little power when he secured null points for DLP again.
Barbados is better off without him as leader of Government (and/or leader of Opposition by switching), things are what they should be all is copacetic.
Now back to the matter of the crime and price of guns gone up gone up..
Government could tackle the environment that creates Crime such as
No Jobs for Youths
Creating a community mindset with social programs for youths
etc
Role for all in crime fight
by COREEN A. KENNEDY-TAITT INDEPENDENT SENATOR Canon Rev Dr John Rogers recently described Barbados as a “society under siege”. His observation may be uncomfortable to hear, but it reflects a growing concern among many Barbadians who are troubled by the increase in violent crime, gang activity and anti-social behaviour.
Senator Rogers is correct. Crime has become one of the most serious challenges facing our nation.
The Government’s proposed anti-gang legislation is therefore both necessary and timely.
Cabinet and the Attorney General deserve commendation for taking decisive action to strengthen the legal framework available to law enforcement. The legislation sends a clear message that organised criminal activity will not be tolerated in Barbados. However, legislation alone will not solve the problem.
Crime is not simply a policing matter. It is a societal issue shaped by social, economic, educational, cultural and moral influences. If we are serious about reducing crime, every sector of society must accept responsibility and play its part.
The role of parents
The first classroom is the home and the first teachers are parents.
Children learn values, discipline, honesty and responsibility long before they enter school. Parents who provide guidance, supervision, love and structure significantly reduce the likelihood that their children will become involved in criminal activity.
Parents must know where their children are, know who their friends are and know how they spend their time. They must also model the behaviours they wish children to emulate. Anti-gang legislation cannot replace effective parenting.
Role of religious denominations
For generations, churches helped shape the moral foundation of Barbadian society. Today, faith-based organisations continue to play an important role through mentoring programmes, youth activities, counselling services and family support initiatives.
The Government has provided support to faith-based organisations that are working to strengthen families and guide young people toward positive life choices, and for that it should be commended.
Partnerships such as these recognise that crime prevention begins long before an individual enters a courtroom. The church must continue to be a moral voice in society while helping to provide hope, guidance and positive alternatives for vulnerable youth.
Role of policymakers and politicians Political leaders must ensure that crime prevention receives the same attention as crime enforcement. To its credit, the Government has already invested in programmes designed to engage and empower young people through sport, construction, agriculture, hospitality and technical and vocational education.
Initiatives such as the Construction Gateway Programme, Project Dawn and other training opportunities provide young people with practical skills, meaningful employment pathways and a sense of purpose.
These programmes reduce idleness, and offer alternatives to criminal activity.
Public policy must continue to focus not only on punishment, but also on prevention, rehabilitation and the creation of workable and viable opportunities.
Role of the police
The Barbados Police Service remains the frontline defenders of public safety. It requires up-to date, appropriate legislation, adequate resources, technology and strong community support to perform its duties effectively. The proposed anti-gang legislation will provide additional tools to combat organised criminal activity.
At the same time, community policing must be strengthened.
Citizens are more likely to cooperate when they trust law enforcement and see officers as partners in building safer communities. The fight against crime cannot be won without a strong, professional and well-supported police service.
Role of the education system
Education is one of our most powerful weapons against crime.
Schools must do more than just prepare students for examinations.
They must prepare them for life.
Students need opportunities to develop critical thinking, emotional intelligence, conflict-resolution skills, financial literacy, digital literacy, civic responsibility and a clear understanding of the consequences of criminal behaviour.
The Government’s continued investment in technical and vocational education deserves special recognition. Through institutions such as the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology and the Barbados Vocational Training Board, many young people are acquiring marketable skills that lead directly to employment and entrepreneurship.
Training opportunities in agriculture, hospitality, construction and other sectors reinforce the important message that success is not confined to traditional academic pathways. Every young person should be able to see a legitimate route to personal achievement and economic independence.
Education that provides purpose, direction and opportunity becomes one of the most effective crime prevention strategies available.
Role of communication and marketing One area that is often overlooked in discussions about crime prevention is communication. For too long, criminal lifestyles have been glamorised through social media and popular culture. We need a deliberate national communication strategy that promotes positive role models and celebrates achievement, hard work, entrepreneurship, community service and educational success.
Marketing influences behaviour every day. Governments, businesses and organisations use it to shape attitudes and encourage action. The same tools can be used to promote positive social values. A sustained national campaign should highlight successful entrepreneurs, artisans, farmers, teachers, police officers, athletes, tradesmen and community leaders. Young people need to see tangible examples of individuals who have succeeded through discipline, perseverance and honest effort.
The messages communicated through homes, schools, churches, businesses and the media should reinforce a common national theme: that there is dignity in work, value in education and honour in contributing positively to society.
Role of the community
Communities must reclaim their responsibility for nurturing and protecting young people. The neighbourhood watch, service organisations, sports clubs, youth groups and businesses all have a vital role to play. Communities must become more proactive in identifying vulnerable young people and providing guidance, support and intervention before they are enticed into criminal activity. No child should ever feel that membership of a gang offers more support than the community in which he lives.
A national mission
It is important to acknowledge that Barbados is not standing still in the face of crime. The Government has introduced anti-gang legislation, expanded youth training and employment opportunities. It has supported faith-based organisations and invested in technical and vocational education. These initiatives represent important building blocks.
The challenge now is for the rest of society (parents, churches, schools, businesses, community groups and ordinary citizens) to match that commitment. Crime prevention cannot be left to Government alone. It must become a national mission embraced by all.
The Barbados we love was built by generations who understood the importance of community, responsibility and shared values.
Those same principles must guide us today. If we work together with determination, courage and purpose, we can reduce crime, strengthen our communities and build a safer Barbados for future generations.
Anti-gang legislation is an important first step. Only through collective action will we be able to solve the problem of criminal activity in our nation.
Coreen A. Kennedy-Taitt is an educator. The above article was submitted as a letter to the Editor.
Source: Nation
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