A multi-faceted, multi-dimensional approach is required to stem gun violence and criminal behaviour in this island.
Making this strong assertion, Criminologist Yolande Forde insisted that no one entity in society should shoulder the blame for the recent rise in violent crimes.
“We need to move away from fingerpointing any agency or person to say ‘this person, this agency or this institution is responsible for the crime problem that this or any other country faces,” she said.
Speaking on the People’s Business on Sunday night, Forde outlined that crime was firstly a behavioural issue, and as such perceptions, thinking and value beliefs had to be looked at and tackled.
“It becomes very problematic when socialisation does not occur or when what is transmitted from one generation to another is anti-values,” she continued.
Pointing to a myriad of risk factors including developmental disabilities, family issues such as abandonment, abuse or criminality and drug abuse in families, she also highlighted the educational system, noting that many delinquent behaviours manifest early and as such needed to be wrestled at this point.
“When someone reaches the stage of a court, I put it to you that they have been exhibiting unacceptable behaviour for a long time and it has gone unaddressed, not only unaddressed but not properly assessed and no one is saying that this is the role of the teachers, but very often if that is the setting where this behaviour is manifesting and being played out, it is really incumbent on us as the authorities in society to have the necessary technical and human resources in that setting to deal with it, which would include reaching out to the home,” Forde added.
Criminal Attorney at Law Angela Mitchell-Gittens highlighted that the majority of the time pre-sentencing reports revealed family dysfunction, a lack of a male role model, little or no educational attainment, sporadic employment or drug use.
“Those are usually present after someone has committed a criminal offence, so it seems to me from my vantage point that those are the root causes of criminal behaviour in this society,” she said.
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