Dear Editor,

Historically dismissed or belittled by the authorities, female gang members are hidden but a real threat to society. I note with great concern that whenever women are arrested for harbouring, aiding or abetting male gangsters, they are often given suspended sentences or are never brought to trial. This trend is often what facilitates the rebirth or continued cycle of many gangs in Jamaica. The police, human rights organisations, the media, and the courts often refuse to admit that female gang members commit crimes.

Women are often looked upon as playing non-essential roles in gangs and it is this view that proves to be the fatal flaw in how we approach and dismantle gangs.

Having in the past witnessed known female gang members being freed in the courts only to find a new gangster “to roll” with, is it any wonder why certain gangs cannot be dismantled? Often the brain behind the crime or the stake-out persons are the same female gangsters whom the police and media do not take seriously because of their gender. In Jamaica it cannot be assumed anymore that women play minor roles in gangs; many police departments in the US openly admit that female gang members prove to be as dangerous as males.

Female gang members are at the core of many of Jamaica’s gangs and are more dangerous to Jamaica’s law enforcement than the police wish to acknowledge. Many of today’s gangs are run by female generals who often claim abuse by members of the security forces who, in not wanting to be seen as abusers, will choose to track the men closely as opposed to their female counterparts. This in turn allows the women to perpetuate reprisals through commands to males, or even personally against members of the security forces or those who informed on them.

In Jamaica we need to take a long, hard look in the mirror and admit to ourselves that women are as much a threat as men in criminal activities. No longer should it be assumed that women are just in gangs because of a boyfriend or male relative, but because they, like men, wish to reap the benefit of gang activity. If we fail to acknowledge this hidden but present danger, we are bound to find ourselves plagued by gangs for a long time.

R Smith

Montego Bay

St James