Shelly-Ann Thompson, Gleaner Writer

The presence of the father including the sustained intervention by Jamaica's men might assist in decreasing the country's climbing crime rate, said Alison Anderson, chief executive officer of the Child Development Agency (CDA).

Speaking at the recent launch of Child Month, which will be observed in May, Ms. Anderson provided statistics showing that the island's youth are among the main perpetrators of crimes.

Crime stats

In 2005, said Anderson, approximately two out of every five crimes were committed by persons under the age of 24. At the same time, she said 1,541 persons between the ages of 15 and 24 were arrested for major crimes.

"... Children need fathers that were not only physically but also psychologically present, as physical presence but psychological absence led to greater expressive rejection and psychological damage," Ms. Anderson said, quoting from a survey.

She pointed out that in terms of the total number of arrests for the same period, young people represented 45.2 per cent of murder suspects, 49 per cent of shooting suspects and 43.8 per cent of rape and carnal abuse suspects. Overall, males accounted for 96.6 per cent of arrests for major crimes and 98.8 per cent of arrests for murder.

shelly-ann.thompson@gleanerjm.com