Discussion: How to combat crime

Despite what some “statistics” published about various cities/parishes/states in the North America and the Caribbean, violent and disturbing crimes appear to be on the rise. Murder, rapes, targeting, kidnapping, school shootings, workplace shootings, drive-by-shootings, police shooting of the unarmed, home invasions, and so on. Understand that violent crimes have increased in other parts of the world other than North America and the Caribbean but we will focus on those closer to home.  You see, I am of Caribbean descent and live in the United States of America.

Why should criminals continue to make us feel helpless?

It is really sad and depressing how helpless one can feel when one hears of returning citizens and retirees being robbed and brutally murdered in Jamaica, kids and families kidnapped and brutally murdered in Trinidad & Tobago, school, workplace, and church shootings in the USA, and others… yet nothing gets done or whatever is attempted does not work. Many times we get lip service from the authorities and government. Some times we know what they “decide to try” is just to pacify their voters because there is no chance the plan(s) would ever work. There are lots of games being played by politicians (henceforth referred to as “poli-tricksters” in this piece) in North America and the Caribbean nations.  Some may even mean well but, because they or their loved ones are not affected by some of these crimes, they often ignore or pass bad policies.  To the politicians we say, “Come walk a mile in our shoes.”  To the criminals we say, “Unlike current poli-tricksters, we the citizens are starting to think and you have been put on notice.”  Your actions will have to stop…. and, unlike you, fed-up citizens will not break the law to get you to curtail your behaviors… We will be using our brains, common sense, and collaboration.

Children and families at risk

Our children are at risk of being murdered by insane gun-wielding psychopaths in school… and it gets worse because poli-tricksters continue to play poli-tricks. People are less safe on the streets (road rage, crazy and drunk drivers) and at work… Well, certainly they’re safer at home? Nope! Increases in home invasions, break-ins, criminals impersonating delivery/service persons or civil servants, clowns and idiots and drugged out individuals firing weapons during holiday celebrations along with the fireworks. I mean, that is just a small example of the madness that has to stop.

Why the increase?

But, what is the reason or reasons for all this madness and violence? I know that I have heard many reasons, some of which I agree with. Below’s a subset of  what I have heard. Can the increase in violent crimes be due to one, some, many, or all of the following and then some?

1. poor education – not exact but people with less education make less per capita. Obviously, there are exceptions and outliers and the poor neighborhoods are most victimized, sometimes by their own, sometimes by gangs, sometimes by law-enforcement officers.

2. far left and/or far right poli-tricksters

3. racism – people of ruling ethnicity despising and “hating on” others

4. other hate crimes – “throwing shade” on others to the point that it leads to violence or retaliation

5. lack of love for humanity – vanity and no love for humanity means one can lead to violence, If you love me, you won’t steal from me, lie about me, take my spouse, you won’t break into my house, you won’t try to physically harm me.

6. greed – criminals feel that what you have, they deserve to have, even at the cost of your life. Some of these criminals are your own relatives and friends, including people you send may even help out financially already.

7. recreational drugs and alcohol abuse – rampant and cause people to hallucinate, become dark, resort to violence

8. prescription drug abuse

9. separation from The Almighty – less and less people believe in a Creator much less a Creator’s expectation from humanity

10. black people – victimization and/or playing the victim

11. white people – oppressors and/or being oppressed

13. other people other than black or white people – not respected or seen as relevant

14. mental instability

15. violent video games – people, starting from an early age, spend too much time playing these games and so they have issues differentiating reality from game.

16. violent movies and TV shows – line between terrorist and terrorized, criminals and victims, law breakers and law enforcers is blurred and sometimes the criminals are the stars.

17. glorification of weapons, particularly the gun

18. feeling of empowerment when”strapped” with a weapon

19. tail wagging the dog – children rule households and parents not allowed to discipline.

20. mankind have given up their “birthright” to the devil (dark forces).

21. fake news and “reality” TV

22. disruption of elections by unscrupulous persons or systems within a country or without.

Potential Solutions

1. poor education – get public and private investors to invest in children K-12; get volunteers to tutor kids and help with reading, mathematics, and home work IN school after regular classes –those volunteers have to be vetted and supervised.

2. far left and/or far right poli-tricksters – don’t vote for OR vote out extreme right and extreme left poli-tricksters and those who propagate hatred and build up enmity among citizens, immigrants, and neighboring countries, or force everything goes type of attitude

3. racism – similar to #1 but educating people that we are all one race and a city divided cannot stand so it’s best to love each other.

4. other hate crimes – same as #3

5. lack of love for humanity – same as #3.

6. greed – education

7. recreational drugs and alcohol abuse – education

8. prescription drugs abuse – education and counselling

9. separation from The Almighty – stop blocking God and stop forcing God… Let people who believe in God be able to worship freely.

10. black people – bleaching is not the answer.  education of people (including other black people) who think black people is the problem

11. white people – tanning or burning int he sun is not the answer – education about history and what a united front can do

13. other people other than black or white people – education

14. mental instability – not sure why there is a rise here… the food?  the drugs?  the hard drugs?  the hormones? the fact that kids are not well-rounded and don’t get out to play anymore, instead it’s all about Instagram, Snapchat, FaceBook, cell phones, video games… Parents and schools should encourage outdoor activities and other activities not using any of those social-media or video games.

15. violent video games – same as #14.

16. violent movies and TV shows – same as #14

17. glorification of weapons, particularly the gun

18. feeling of empowerment when”strapped” with a weapon – I don’t begrudge people with their weapons but it is not too late to do background checks to prevent homes with mentally unstable or violent individuals from having weapons and disallow non-service members from taking weapons into buildings.

19. tail wagging the dog – children rule households and parents are not allowed to discipline them – allow parents to discipline their children NOT abuse them.

20. mankind have given up their “birthright” to the devil (dark forces). – this is biblical but the darkness in humanity is so widespread that, first, we have to return to God and the teachings of the “perfect law” (ten commandments) of liberty.

21. fake news and “reality” TV – this just brings out what is already inside people so education is the key. Verify what you see but, before that, educate people against major biases that exist in pockets of society and within schools. Schools populated by extreme left or extreme right administration influence the students much more than we think. Parents do some research and do not send your children to these schools. Also, extreme left (e.g. MSNBC) and extreme right (e.g.Fox News) tend to intentionally brainwash their sheeple. Watch more politically neutral stations if you can find them.

22. disruption of elections by unscrupulous persons or systems within a country or without. – increase awareness

Discuss

I hope I didn’t come off too preachy… because I don’t want to be seen as a rose-colored glasses-wearing individual standing on my soapbox seated on a high horse.

Do you agree with any of the points / reasons listed? If so, which ones?

Do you have any other reasons to add?

Either way, the current methods are NOT working, so let’s have a discussion on how we can combat this increase in crime?


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One response to “Discussion: How to combat crime”

  1. C. Sharpe Avatar

    I helped with this piece, and did the editing, so I must reiterated that there is a serious problem with violence and violent crimes in our neighborhoods, cities, states/parishes, and countries… and it’s increasing. Readers, I urge you all to discuss this one. We need good discussions so that future readers can engage and be encouraged… no… empowered to act.

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