Crime in the Caribbean

According to the report by the UNODC and the World Bank on crime and violence in the Caribbean, crime and violence is a problem that threatens the welfare of Caribbean citizens,

and presents one of the biggest challenges to its development. They also argue that the Caribbean suffers from more murders per capita than any other region of the world

Murder rates in the Caribbean, at 30 per 100,000 population annually are higher than for any region of the world and have risen in recent years. They proffer several explanations for the regions vulnerability to crime and violence. Crime and violence are seen as developmental issues in the Caribbean.

CAUSES OF CRIME IN THE CARIBBEAN

Several circumstances that lead to devt of serious crime in the Cbbean. Demographics Drug trade Unemployment Income inequality Marginalization of males Urban youth (Klaus de Albuquerque (1999

DRUG TRADE Primary reason is the regions vulnerability to drug trafficking. Trans-shipment area - It is wedged between the worlds source of cocaine to the south and primary consumer markets to the north. This makes the Caribbean the transit point for narcotics with a street value that exceeds the value of the entire legal economy

UNODCP report also argues that Caribbean countries have large coastlines and territorial waters and weak criminal justice systems that are overwhelmed.

Drug trafficking is a problem that all Caribbean countries have in common. In 2005, it was estimated that 10 tons of cocaine transited through Jamaica, and 20 tons through Haiti and the Dom. Republic Family structure and migration social development is a major challenge Gender as it relates to crime.

Weak social institutions church, schools, families not playing significant role in social control. In Jca, for e.g. problem of unemployment, inner city conditions and the issue of deportees are a major problem.

Weak criminal justice systems in some Cbbean islands, e.g. some police systems are antiquated; operating under a colonial model; morale of some police officers low and declining. Overwhelmed police and court systems. Reactive policing, delay in court cases etc . Heavy presence of corruption in some Caribbean police forces. In addition to drug trafficking, kidnapping and corruption are other forms of organized crime which affect the region. Two countries Haiti and T&T have seen recent and rapid increases in kidnappings. The kidnapping rate nearly doubled in T&T between 1999 and 2005. High prison populations along with overcrowded prisons. Lure of illegal activities as a means of survival, especially in poorer communities Vestige of colonialism GangsBadman culture shottaas, badmanism, bling etc associated with the youth culture. There is the badman of the new century in some Caribbean islands, like Barbados, Trinidad, Jamaica etc. The dream is to live fast and die young. The dream is of making it big, no matter how. Strong link between behaviour and the images viewed via television and the internet and the lyrics of songs heard. Some artistes are seen as role models by young persons and are to be admired and emulated. These artistes promote lifestyles of violence, vile sexual behaviours, usually degrading women, and thug life. These violent lifestyles are seen as glamourous and one which brings wealth, women, power and respect. Deportation of criminals In Jamaica, there is a problem of criminal deportation. Officials are worried that the countrys rising murder rate may be linked to the growing number of deported convicts. Each year, the US, UK and Canada deport thousands of people convicted of various crimes to their countries of citizenship in the Caribbean. There is a belief that recent crime troubles can be tied to the activities of deportees who have learned criminal behaviour in the developed countries. Many deportees left their home countries at a young age and learned criminal behaviour while abroad. In Barbados, of 332 criminal deportees returned to Barbados up to 2007, only 13% were subsequently charged with a criminal offence. Similarly in T&T, of the 565 deportees received between 1999 and 2001, only 15% were subsequently charged with a crime. DRUG TRAFFICKING The drug trade is a prime driver of crime in the Caribbean.

Jamaica and St Vincent are prime exporters of marijuana to other islands in the Caribbean. Pirogues constantly make bold efforts to cross the waters to land marijuana in respective islands.

GUNS CARICOM Regional Task Force on Crime Prevention commissioned a report in 2002 on the proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW). Report identified three levels of SALW proliferation in the region:

Countries with established high levels and patterns of armed crime (Jamaica), Countries with emerging high levels of armed and organized criminality (Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago), and Countries with indications of increased use and availability of small arms (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts, St Lucia, St Vincent). At that time, it was determined that only Jamaica fell in the first category, with indications that military type weapons were available and that paramilitary units were operating. It is argued that Trinidad may now fall into that category as the murder rate doubled between 2002 and 2005. Data has shown that not only have levels of crime and violence increased, but so has the use of weapons in criminal acts. A major factor contributing to the surge of guns related criminality in the region is the trafficking of narcotics, which has facilitated the availability of firearms. The firearms required for protection of contraband during transportation are smuggled in along with the drugs. Within the environments that promote the demand for weapons, reducing gun ownership is a difficult undertaking. Better gun registries, marking and tracking can help, as can improved gun interdiction in ports.

YOUTH VIOLENCE Described as a major public health, social and economic problem across the Caribbean. Youth were disproportionately represented in the ranks of both victims and perpetrators of crime and violence. In the Dominican Republic, in 2005, homicides of those aged 11-30 accounted for approximately 46% of total homicide deaths. A wide variety of risk factors contribute to the prevalence of youth violence, including poverty, youth unemployment, large scale migration to urban areas, drug trafficking, a weak educational system, ineffective policing, the widespread availability of weapons, drug and alcohol use, and the presence of organized gangs.

JAMAICA Early explanations of crime political tribalism and clientilism which pitted poor urban communities against each other was offered as an explanation for the rise in violence in Jamaica. Jamaicas rival political parties have been blamed for the creation of a subculture of violence and intimidation that emerged in the 1970s particularly in West Kingston. In the 1980 election campaign 889 people were killed, many in shootouts between rival political gangs (posses). Eruptions of gun violence lead to a backlash of heavy handed patrols by the army and police when it became evident that the rival political activists could no longer control their enforcers. Led to increasing distrust of the police and army, especially in opposition strongholds. Many so called garrison constituencies came entirely under the control of posse leaders (Dons) who provide residents protection and other necessities (food, money, school books) financed largely through drug dealing and raids on rival communities These developments and the growth of the drug trade have spawned the most recent theory of Jamaica violence, the spread of the narco-economy. Murder rate in Jamaica is over 1000 p.a. Finding it harder to ignore the lure of illegal activities as a means of survival According to Harriott, the rate of violent crime in Jamaica has been increasing since the 1980s, especially for murders. In 1977, the rate of violent crime was 758/100,000 but by 1996 it had risen to 985/100,000 Generalized decline in violent crime began in 1996 with the decline in the rate of robberies. This corresponds with the period of rapid development of extortion rackets in Kingston, whereby commercial enterprises have been forced to pay the community dans and leaders of organized crime for protection against robberies. Jamaica has been ranked as the most murderous country in the Caribbean. The communities of the marginalized urban inner-city poor are most affected by this murderous violence. The majority of victims are young, urban residents, male and were either unemployed or self employed. The social profile of the offenders is quite similar to that of their victims. Homicidal violence is a male on male, poor on poor, urban phenomenon. Most of the murders are primarily the outcome of enduring inter-group conflicts. Most of these murders and indeed most violent crimes are facilitated by easy access to firearms. The homicide rate is driven by interactive conflicts that may be triggered by the robbery or rape of someone from a neighbouring community, by the activities of gangs and organized crimes or even by explicitly political conflicts. Much of the violence is best understood in terms of the sociopolitical geography of the problem.

Homicidal violence is concentrated in the socially marginalized inner city communities of Kingston and Spanish Town where party political affiliation has helped to shape the identity of these communities and where conflict between these communities has persisted for some three decades, appearing at different times as political conflicts, as gang conflicts or as disputes triggered by organized crime. According to Harriott, there is an unbroken line of continuity between the successive and alternating types of wars with the blood debts and demonizing of the enemy in one war being carried forward to the next. New conflicts are fitted into old patterns, given larger meaning that present them as threatening to the interests of larger collectives such as the gang, crew, family, community or political party. Many seemingly trivial interpersonal problems may thus rapidly develop into major inter group conflicts that result in the loss of many lives. Communities have developed strong support systems that name the protagonists as community fighters and protectors; bestow on them heroic status and help to block police attempts to apprehend and convict them. (Harriott 1997). Harriott (1997) has argued that the lack of legitimate opportunities over a long period of time, in the context of social exclusion has led to efforts to develop and alternate opportunity structure around drugs, protection rackets and other informal activity. Harriott argues that crime is no longer simply due to the push factor (lack of legitimate opportunities, social marginalization) but is linked to the development of an alternate or illegal opportunity structure, i.e. to pull factors. The pull factor may be accounted for by the high profile models of success, and the seemingly high rewards and low risks associated with organized crime, the attractiveness of the drug trade as a source of quick wealth, the glamour and status of the dongs of organized crime, and the perceived impunity of the white collar criminals in the financial services. Harriott argues that any worthwhile crime control strategy must involve depriving these symbols of successful criminality of their ill gotten wealth and status. There is also the problem of garrison communities that offer protection and encouragement to elements engaged in outwardly projected violence and criminality. These garrisons provide a hostile environment for the Security Forces and safe havens for politically affiliated criminals and for the preservation of illegal firearms. A consequence of marginalization is reduced access to public security. Police may neglect the community because of frustration of the inner-city violence. Citizens refer to self help. Consequent alienation from the system and poor relations with the police then lead to a reluctance to have these institutions handle criminal events or potentially troubling conflicts. Self help efforts tend to involve the use of violence. Tourism destinations Barbados, Jamaica and other small Caribbean islands According to King, relative deprivation appears to be key instigator behind crime and violence. Finding by researchers in both developed and developing countries. According to King, there is a sense of frustration by residents, accompanied by property and violent crimes CARIBBEAN CRIMINOLOGY??

Crime in the Caribbean must be seen in the context of the culture and history of Caribbean nations. According to Pryce, crime in the Caribbean must be seen from the days of slavery and the treatment of slaves by white colonists. Plantation system was like a prison, in which each and every slave was viewed as a potential criminal. The laws in slavery that were applicable to slaves only, such as not carrying weapons, wearing particular garments that identified him, permitting their homes to be searched, etc. Modernization thesis Ken Pryce need for a Caribbean Criminology Historically, laws in slavery shaped the difference in treatment of those who own versus those who do not According to Connell (1971), cited by Pryce (1976), these laws fostered the notion of race as a determinant of status in West Indian society. Ex slaves exploited and experienced dispossession. Did not own property were landless wage earners Pryce rising crime symptomatic of exploitation and the development of underdevelopment. He argued that corruption and privilege for economic gain enriched few and disposed the masses through unemployment for e.g. Poor had to find means of survival, e.g. Prostitution, hustling, scrunting, violence etc. Pryce believed that we should not use European and North American theories solely to explain crime in the Caribbean. He believed that these theories and situations are dissimilar to our own, particularly those with a cultural explanation of crime. Pryce argued that we must study the class struggle and class interests to determine their effects on criminal behaviour Deosoran (2009) we cannot consider a Caribbean Criminology by ignoring the rest of the world. According to Deosoran, the challenge is to have meaningful, impactful research that will inform policy. According to Deosoran, the development of a Cbbean criminology stifled by policy makers. These policy makers desire quick, short term overnight solutions which are not based on research and emperical data, such as harsher penalties and quick police response. These have been proven to be ineffective. Cannot just look at a legal definition when phrasing a Caribbean criminology. Devt of a Caribbean criminology requires a separation of theory and fact. E.g. Is the concept of a fair trial working or does it work solely for the wealthy and powerful? Does the law allow for justice or does it stand in the way of justice? What does the lack of expediency with respect to trial completion suggest about justice, especially in the eyes of the general public and victims? E.g. How can a theory of justice propose a case being postponed 29 times, or as in Barbados, a person being on remand for 6 years awaiting trial? Deosoran suggested that a Caribbean criminology must be an activist discipline. Must require: Accurate criminal justice research

Justice An examination of how victims, witnesses, and perpetrators are treated, as they are many injustices in court, the very institution expected to mete out justice An understanding of push factors of crime, such as family neglect and poor schooling. Pull factors including low conviction rates, poor police response and the portrayal of prisons as a criminogenic ghetto (Deosoran, 2009). Need to examine theories of justice to examine and develop a Caribbean criminology. Administration of justice just as important as determining causes of crime. E.g. Is a trial by jury by ones peers? Does punishment act as a deterrent? Also important for the region to be aware of cross border crime, such as terrorism.

SOLUTIONS Solutions must be locally driven and locally derived to the needs of the Cbbean Must be country specific. Even though one Caribbean, different cultures, politics, economics (King, ) Improved law enforcement responses and relationships with citizens in some countries Some have asked for a regional Caribbean police force Improved and consistent training of law enforcement personnel Must mobilize communities must be determinant of community action need buy in of communities. Participation must be sustained Need to conduct community assessments each community has its own needs and concerns