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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>To truly defeat criminals.</SPAN>
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Monday, January 15, 2007
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<P class=StoryText align=justify>We note with interest the report of an interview with Superintendent Michael James, head of the Manchester Police Division, published in yesterday's Sunday Observer.
Mr James argues that talk of crime having gotten out of control in the south central parish is not based on hard facts, but mere perception.<P class=StoryText align=justify>We empathise to some extent with Mr James. For in the context of criminal activity on the national scale in Jamaica, 27 murders in Manchester last year, up from 22 the year before; and 271 'major crimes', down from 309 in 2005 hardly suggest that law and order has lost its way. This is bearing in mind that islandwide there were over 1,300 murders last year, down from more than 1,500 the year before.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The reality, though, is that nothing is ever as simple as that. The truth is that Manchester is a deep rural parish where peace and tranquility to match its wonderfully mild climate have always been taken for granted.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In such an environment, any sudden surge in anti-social or criminal activity is bound to cause alarm. In such environments, the saying "one murder is one too many" becomes doubly applicable. Which, perhaps, is just as well. For one of the real concerns in the urban centres, particularly the so-called inner cities, is the scant regard with which serious crimes, including murder, are often treated by those in the immediate vicinity.<P class=StoryText align=justify>It's as if the ongoing experience of murder and mayhem has dulled the spirit and left many in our depressed urban communities inured to savagery. As if life, so precious to most of us, has lost value.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In that respect, the sense of outrage that is often seen in deep rural communities when there is a crime against a neighbour is a good thing. The key is to channel that outrage in a positive and sustainable way so the community can help, in accordance with the law, to protect itself.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In that regard, Mr James' dissatisfaction with the off-hand way with which many law-abiding citizens treat suspicious activity by others around them strikes a chord.<P class=StoryText align=justify>As Mr James puts it, there are far too many people who, after a crime has been committed, say "yuh know sey mi did see." Had they acted on seeing the suspicious activity and called the police, the crime may have been prevented.
But in a real sense such behaviour has to be learnt. The simple reason being, that most of us do not instinctively expect the worse from others. It is natural and human to expect that when another person is seen going about his business, he or she is not intending to do harm to others.<P class=StoryText align=justify>It seems to us, therefore, that it is not enough to leave the delivery of the message about increased awareness and anti-crime pro-activity to the police. For example, as part of the long-term drive to combat crime, the message that we are our brother's and our neighbour's keeper; that the cocaine vendor on the corner is really our enemy; and that the security forces, including the young policeman on the beat, are there to help and protect us, must be weaved into the school curriculum at every opportunity.<P class=StoryText align=justify>From the church pulpits, from the political platforms, from the disc jockeys on radio and elsewhere, from every available avenue of communication the message must go out that all of us are in this fight against criminals in partnership with the security forces.<P class=StoryText align=justify>And while we are at it, we must make it absolutely clear that those who condemn "informers" are themselves no better than social deviants to be o
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>
Monday, January 15, 2007
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>We note with interest the report of an interview with Superintendent Michael James, head of the Manchester Police Division, published in yesterday's Sunday Observer.
Mr James argues that talk of crime having gotten out of control in the south central parish is not based on hard facts, but mere perception.<P class=StoryText align=justify>We empathise to some extent with Mr James. For in the context of criminal activity on the national scale in Jamaica, 27 murders in Manchester last year, up from 22 the year before; and 271 'major crimes', down from 309 in 2005 hardly suggest that law and order has lost its way. This is bearing in mind that islandwide there were over 1,300 murders last year, down from more than 1,500 the year before.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The reality, though, is that nothing is ever as simple as that. The truth is that Manchester is a deep rural parish where peace and tranquility to match its wonderfully mild climate have always been taken for granted.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In such an environment, any sudden surge in anti-social or criminal activity is bound to cause alarm. In such environments, the saying "one murder is one too many" becomes doubly applicable. Which, perhaps, is just as well. For one of the real concerns in the urban centres, particularly the so-called inner cities, is the scant regard with which serious crimes, including murder, are often treated by those in the immediate vicinity.<P class=StoryText align=justify>It's as if the ongoing experience of murder and mayhem has dulled the spirit and left many in our depressed urban communities inured to savagery. As if life, so precious to most of us, has lost value.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In that respect, the sense of outrage that is often seen in deep rural communities when there is a crime against a neighbour is a good thing. The key is to channel that outrage in a positive and sustainable way so the community can help, in accordance with the law, to protect itself.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In that regard, Mr James' dissatisfaction with the off-hand way with which many law-abiding citizens treat suspicious activity by others around them strikes a chord.<P class=StoryText align=justify>As Mr James puts it, there are far too many people who, after a crime has been committed, say "yuh know sey mi did see." Had they acted on seeing the suspicious activity and called the police, the crime may have been prevented.
But in a real sense such behaviour has to be learnt. The simple reason being, that most of us do not instinctively expect the worse from others. It is natural and human to expect that when another person is seen going about his business, he or she is not intending to do harm to others.<P class=StoryText align=justify>It seems to us, therefore, that it is not enough to leave the delivery of the message about increased awareness and anti-crime pro-activity to the police. For example, as part of the long-term drive to combat crime, the message that we are our brother's and our neighbour's keeper; that the cocaine vendor on the corner is really our enemy; and that the security forces, including the young policeman on the beat, are there to help and protect us, must be weaved into the school curriculum at every opportunity.<P class=StoryText align=justify>From the church pulpits, from the political platforms, from the disc jockeys on radio and elsewhere, from every available avenue of communication the message must go out that all of us are in this fight against criminals in partnership with the security forces.<P class=StoryText align=justify>And while we are at it, we must make it absolutely clear that those who condemn "informers" are themselves no better than social deviants to be o
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