Delroy Chuck
CRIME HAS definitely become the main concern and disturbing problem of virtually every Jamaican, at home and abroad. Many overseas-based Jamaicans are rightly fearful of visiting the homeland lest they join the criminal statistics. Daily, the number of murders and acts of violence climbs and increases the fear and predicament of a country already in perennial decline. Murder, violence and even simple acts of criminality are undermining the integrity, well-being and progress of the Jamaican society.
But, is crime really the problem for the social chaos, economic hardships and frustrating hopelessness pervading throughout most of the country? Crime does not exist in a vacuum. It is not necessarily imported even though it has hitherto been alleged that the deportees are the main purveyors of criminal violence. We have no one, or nothing to blame for the escalating crime, but ourselves and we must find the solutions. In reality, the level and intensity of crime and violence are strong indicators of the breakdown of law and order, the lack of social cohesion in many of our communities, increasing economic gap between the haves and have-nots and emptiness in people's lives.
WHY ARE SOME COUNTRIES CRIME LADEN?
Sadly, every society has crime. Why are some countries overburdened by crime and violence while others are able to keep criminality under control? If countries, with a similar size as Jamaica, had the number of murders per year as we consistently bear per week, the whole population would be galvanised and inspired to fight back and take control. Yet, in Jamaica, we have been numbed into silence; our leaders are as petrified as the rest of the population. Up to June this year, Singapore had six murders, one more than at the same period last year, and it was a cause of national distress, in a population of over four million people. Regularly, Jamaica has six murders per day, and the total for the year is likely to exceed 1600. What a national disgrace! Are we not ashamed?
When we examine countries, such as Japan and Switzerland, with low crime rates, a significant feature of these societies is the strong social cohesion, growing prosperity and closing gaps between the rich and poor. Correspondingly, when we examine countries, such as those in the Caribbean, South and Central America, where crime is rampant, the weak social bonds, deepening poverty in many areas and growing gaps between the wealthy communities and bordering inner-city communities provide the reasons for the escalating crime and violence. There is a great socio-economic similarity between South Africa, Colombia and Jamaica, the three countries with the highest murder rates and one particular feature is the obvious separation and widening gap between the rich and poor.
I do not argue that poverty is the cause of crime nor increasing prosperity will necessarily reduce it. Increasing prosperity definitely affords more and better choices, more jobs and opportunities and put idle hands to work but if it is concentrated mainly in a few hands, as now happens in Jamaica, then its beneficial social effect is totally minimised. If we are to control crime then increasing prosperity must come from production and development, and not from a transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich.
Delroy Chuck is an attorney-at-law and Opposition Member of Parliament. He may be contacted at delchuck@hotmail.com
