A Burning Question

[Historian]

It is often stated that increased emphasis on education will solve Jamaica’s immense violent crime problem. This belief, in my opinion, is to a very great extent fundamentally true because a proper education inevitably results in the enlightenment of the educated person, and this in turn will result in an enlightened society.

However, a question that has bothered me for many years is this: For people who are callous and brutal enough to shoot innocent men, women, children and babies, as has happened so often in Jamaica, can education remove the beastly instincts of such killers? For the man who rapes young girls and women, is a lack of education one of the reasons for such horrid acts? And what about monsters disguised as men who burn people out of their homes? Can there be any reasonable hope of a genuine and permanent redemption for such violent, sick criminals?

As in the case of poverty, there are societies that experience low levels of education, but who at the same time do not experience high or even remarkable levels of violent crime. Stated another way, does a lack of education and wealth inevitably result in one becoming brutal, callous, murderous and insensitive?

[Hortical]

Individuals who rape young girls and who commit horrible murders are irredeemable. Education and fighting poverty are Jamaica's best hopes of bringing sanity back to the rock.

[Jangle]

Being educated goes beyond being able to read and write. I believe though that a person who has a formal education up to at least high school level is less likely to perform such cruel acts of violence. If we can get our kids reading more throughout the ages of 4 - 16, it will open up their minds to more productive things.

[Gamma]

historian...education is unlikely to tame those savage beasts who committted those acts...it is geared at the next generation and that is the way it has to be.

i would hazard a guess and say that the killing of the elderly and of women and children in most instances are committed by children (teenage gunmen) by gunmen who have been doing it since they were children.

look at how the child soldiers were used in liberia...it is analogous.

[Assasin]

Yeah we wil not see the results of education until 5 years later. Not only is eduction needed but the right type of education and oppurtunities. We can't educate people to come out and go on street corner as they only become smarter criminals. There has to be training that will result in worthwhile employment and entrepreneural skills.

I hope the graduate program that Bruce propose will work and get bigger. The hope is instead of a group go and form a gang, and seek protection money it will motivate some to come up with an idea, form their own business and try a thing. Also big up to the program Dr. Morgan a try down a jungle. We need more.

[Assasin]

how you explain Steven Fray?

A community College graduate?

[Jangle]

There is always that one exception to the rule.

[MdmeX]

Being educated goes beyond being able to read and write. I believe though that a person who has a formal education up to at least high school level is less likely to perform such cruel acts of violence. If we can get our kids reading more throughout the ages of 4 - 16, it will open up their minds to more productive things.

Well, me nuh know bout dat. The youth from York Castle (I believe that's the school he attended last) who killed his ex-girlfriend had about 9 CXC subjects. From all account, he was deemed brilliant.

[Gamma]

it's a social exercise and social science is an imperfect one....see the university shootings as an example. ted bundy was a law school student! with him though his sociapathic behavious did not leave him with the required level of discipline and self restraint required to complete the course...IMHO

if one considers all the university students enrolled it becomes apparent how miniscule this violent behaviour is ...further, compare the number of black men in prison for violent crimes and their level of education and the statistical contrast becomes even more stark.

go one step further and compare those black men who have at least a college degree and see how represented they are in prison.

[Assasin]

Based on my experience, even they educated kids get themselves in trouble when they sit at home for 2 to 3 years without them thinking they have a chance of success in today's world.

Man who never use to smoke start smoke weed, man who get discourage and see them fellow student making it in the underworld of some sort, and with parent's pressure might just decide fi take a trek pon the dark side.

[Gamma]

man girlfriend leave him......

your chances of not choosing a violent route however are greatly increased with education.

[Assasin]

when you a dem deh age deh Bricktop will tell you to listen to Beenie Man "Nuff Gal". Solve that problem

[Mosiah]

Sierra Leone just emerged from some of the most wikkid acts a human being coud inflict on another, so there is hope for even Jamaica.

I think when you mix drugs, lotto scams, poverty and poor education together, you get a nuclear bomb on your hands. That's why even poorer countries than Jamaica don't have the level of crime we do.

But our people are not irredeemable.

[Hortical]

But our people are not irredeemable.

You do not understand the context of the comment. People who rape and murder ARE irredeemable.

[Mosiah]

I was not responding directly to your post. I made a general statement, more in response to the initial post by Historian.

In any case, I disagree with your statement. And I believe I understand its context too.