Corin Bailey, Contributor
INTRODUCTION
JAMAICA HAS one of the highest levels of violent crime in the world with a homicide rate of 53.58 per 100,000 in 2004. The majority of these crimes are committed by young men between the ages of 15 and 35. This is arguably a response to a situation of marginalisation and exclusion, an adaptation in the face of structural inequities.
SOCIAL EXCLUSION
In recent times, studies on crime have been extended to include recognition of social exclusion. Social exclusion refers to the process by which individuals are unable to take part in the activities in the society. The social exclusion theory does not concentrate solely on income to measure material condition, but assesses how resources could affect an individual's participation in the lifestyle of his community. Thus, to be socially excluded is to be shut out of those systems which determine whether an individual is integrated into a community.
The article highlights the process of social exclusion in Jamaica, and how this has contributed to rising levels of crime. I will focus on:
The manner in which young men are excluded from the education system and therefore from employment opportunities;
On aspects of the dysfunctional relationship which develops within poor communities and between poor communities and the police.
EDUCATION
The dual system of education in Jamaica has been described as 'posh' and 'poor'. The segregation begins from the early stage when the children of the poor are channelled into the government maintained public system. Their performance in these institutions determines whether they will have access to the type of secondary education that is associated with success - the traditional high schools.
Entry to the high school system is based on selective examinations and, previous to the year 2000, top performers, the majority of whom were products of the 'posh' system, were 'creamed' off for the traditional high schools while those with lower level passes were sent to so called comprehensive schools, supposedly based on the British model. However, while in Britain, comprehensive schools were non selective and seen as a means to:
Remove the stigma of failure.
Reduce the likelihood of discrimination based on class.
Improve the performance of children of middling ability.
In Jamaica, it is clear from the location of comprehensive schools in the heart of the inner city that they were designed simply to expand opportunities to the poor and, as in the pre-secondary system the programme did not measure up to that offered in the high school system.
Those who, at the age of 11, were told that they had failed the examinations remained in all-age schools until the age of 15 or were transferred to new secondary, which offered vocational education.
There was education reform in 2000 as a result of which it was said:
All secondary schools became high schools
The distinctions between high schools were removed
No one would be considered a failure since all students would be placed in a high school.
However, selective examinations remained in place.
Despite the reform, there is still 'creaming' and social segregation and the creaming is reflected in the wide disparities in performance of the children in the crucial CXC and GCE O'level exams.
The young men emerging from this system lack the necessary education and skills, compounded by the stigma of living in the ghetto.
