The Editor, Sir:

Kevin Chang's 'Tired of pretty words' makes sad reading for two reasons. One is that his description of the crime scene is undeniably accurate. The other is that his prescription, like that of almost all of the local media and intelligentsia, addresses only solving crimes, not preventing them.

Working crime labs, DNA, better equipment and more police will no doubt solve more murders. It won't prevent them. It will take a New York Mayor Guiliani 'broken windows' zero-tolerance approach and an assault on the dancehall culture to achieve what Chang desires. Nobody in Jamaica seems ready for that. So the mayhem will just continue.

I am, etc.,

ERROL TOWNSHEND

ewar@rogers.com

Toronto, Canada

Via Go-Jamaica