The Editor, Sir:

As we once again focus our attention on the spiralling crime rate, my mind goes back to a recent conversation I had with a gentleman in the context of a downtown church setting. His thesis was that all of Jamaica's problems were caused by fatherlessness. He shared that he and his wife, being two ordinary working individuals, had been able to put their three boys through university.

From this experience and from watching the experience of others, he had come to the conclusion that his presence in the home and his input in the lives of his boys were the decisive factors in their success. The breadth of his assertion - all of Jamaica's problems and his passion - made the conversation memorable.

Fatherless households

To my surprise, however, I stumbled upon a quotation regarding the American experience, which reminds me of this conversation:

"Crime and substance abuse are strongly linked to fatherless households. Studies show that 60 per cent of rapists grew up in fatherless homes as did 72 per cent of adolescent murderers and 70 per cent of all long-term prison inmates. In fact, most of the social pathologies disrupting American life today can be traced to fatherlessness." (Charles Colson).

For sure, there will be exceptions to this generalisation. But what are local statistics like? Could it be true that there may be a general correlation between crime and fatherlessness? If so, oh for a concerted move to get men to move from fulfilling the stud image - a curse of slavery - to instead fulfilling their God-given role of being provider, guide and friend to their children!

I am, etc.,

S. RICHARDS

2 3/4 Ruthven Road

Kingston 10