EDITORIAL: Crime dialogue a first step

OF late, fear has been gripping our nation with the increase we are seeing in gun violence.

Just recently, a National Strategic Consultation on the Social Response to Crime in Barbados was held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre. That National Consultation served up some food for thought.

Director of the Criminal Justice Research Unit, Cheryl Willoughby, revealed during the event that some research was conducted by the Criminal Justice Research Unit amongst inmates of Her Majesty’s Prisons Dodds, and that study shows that a significant number of persons incarcerated for firearm-related offences in Barbados, can be classified as underachievers or have dropped out of the local educational system. According to Willoughby, 200 prisoners (199 males and 1 female) who were incarcerated for gun-related offences were interviewed, ranging in age from 21 to 30.

“The result of interfacing with these persons incarcerated for gun-related offences, revealed that expulsion from school was the leading cause of non-completion of secondary school by these inmates. It accounted for 27.5% of those persons who dropped out, followed by inmates who left school of their own volition. The mean age of the inmates discontinuing school was 15,” the director indicated.

She also revealed that 44% of those inmates that were interviewed had interfaced previously with the juvenile justice system. Certainly this is data we need to pay attention to, along with information that surfaced recently, suggesting that there are seven schools from which a number of those who eventually visit prison emanate.

Willoughby also served up further food for thought when she noted that a study on gangs was conducted, which revealed that there are over 50 blocks spanning both urban and rural areas of the country, with six dominant gangs identified by the Special Branch Unit of the Royal Barbados Police Force and youngsters as young as 15 are frequenting these blocks.

The range of crimes committed by these groups, she said, include robbery, theft, drug possession/distribution, fire arm possession, serious bodily harm, wounding, murder and other violent crimes, and the research also revealed that there are “warring factions” amongst young people from the various communities across Barbados.

Of key importance to us as well, should be the information distributed on the socio-economic drivers of crime, which according to the director are unemployment and underemployment, poverty, poor academic performance, young people being expelled from school, and mental health issues amongst youth, to name some.

Indeed, we certainly have our work cut out for us, if we are to stem the tide of violence looking to sweep over us. But at least we have some information to work with and those tasked with the responsibility of putting policies and programmes in place, should sit up and take note. That consultation should be seen as a first step in what should be many more dialogues held, to form a social response to the current crime situation facing this nation.

And coupled with our tough stance against crime and violence, must also be an approach that seeks to intervene, to assist those at-risk youth and young people who can be helped. Some will be too far gone, but there may be others on the fringes that can be snatched from a life of crime.

According to the Right Reverend Michael Maxwell, Anglican Bishop of Barbados, a number of troubled youth who are getting involved in crime and violence in Barbados have a number of personal development challenges, as they have been neglected over the course of their lives. This fact we cannot ignore. We must now put our hands to the plough and put in the work to intervene where we can, before we completely lose our beloved “Bim”, as we have come to know it.

Barbados Advocate

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