The Editor, Sir:

I am a criminal, and I ask myself how on earth I keep complaining about the horrendous level of crime that is totally out of control in this country when I am a part of the problem.

No, I am not a drug dealer, nor am I a rapist or a gang member. But, like scores of people in this country, I use a cellphone while driving at more than the acceptable speed limit, and, oh, I buy pirated CDs and DVDs.

I condemn senseless killers and even cry when I see some atrocities attributed to them on TV, yet I fail to realise that it starts with petty crimes like the ones I commit and justify.

I am willing to bet that most of the 10 most wanted men in the island did not start their reign of terror with killing. They developed a culture of crime when they committed the petty crimes that you and I commit and got away with them. Then, they graduated to higher levels.

Let us eradicate the culture of crime. Criminal behaviour is unacceptable regardless of how minor it is because it might just motivate those around you to try bigger things.

I am, etc.,

MOTHEBA

rmotheba@yahoo.com

Kingston 8

Via Go-Jamaica