Gutter practices keep crime crisis alive

THE EDITOR, Sir:

With the increase in crime and violence, many have been crying out and asking, where is the crime plan from the elected Government? Without a shadow of a doubt, plans are necessary. Plans help to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. They assist in controls and implementation of strategies which will, by extension, bring development to the lives of the people.

As it is now, a state of emergency has placed a temporary halt to the manifestation of particular criminal activities in the eyes of the people in St James, Hanover and Westmoreland. However, these activities continue to take place in the minds of the would-be criminals. Therefore, the second that individual sees a window of opportunity to execute that conceived act in the mind, it will be carried out.

Social interventions are also part of the package of the state of emergency by the government. This intervention is to assist citizens with obtaining basic identification and documents such as birth certificates, offering opportunities to acquire a skill, and improving the look and feel of communities, etc. Is something wrong with all the mentioned? Nay, it is not. However, we are yet to hit the nail on the head.

CHANGE OF MIND

This means that we will never be as victorious as we ought to be in resolving this national crisis. Many will now say, what’s the solution, then? What we need is an islandwide drive towards changing the minds of the people. The only time transformation can take place is when there is a change of mind. There are many who are coming from the ‘gutter’, and even though they have received opportunities which they have utilised well and are now financially able to manage themselves, still continue to dwell in the practices of the gutter’ That means, it is not so much poverty and lack of opportunities that is influencing crime in the land, because opportunities for wellness are in the hands of many, but their minds are yet to be converted.

Shauna-Gaye Brown