OCHO RIOS, St Ann — Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Area Two (St Ann, St Mary, Portland), Fitz Bailey has called on parents to do a better job of raising their children.

Stating that it will take more than a miracle to solve Jamaica’s crime problems, a passionate Bailey said the lack of good parenting is at the root of the crime and violence in Jamaica.

“Don’t believe that God is going to send an angel from heaven or use some supernatural power to change the cycle of violence that we are seeing. It’s not going to happen,” a passionate Bailey said in addressing parents and students at the graduation exercise for students of Salmon Basic School in Exchange, St Ann.

“We have to make a concerted effort as citizens, as parents, as adults; and we have to say to ourselves; we are not going to engage in any violent activities; we are going to treat our children with love… It is good to say our children are the future, but what kind of example do we set for our children?” Bailey questioned.

ACP Bailey in his presentation pointed out that children learn indiscipline because parents refuse to set the right example.

“If we are going to change Jamaica we have to get back to proper parenting, and parenting is all-inclusive endeavour — It is not about giving money for the child to go to school —that’s good, but it goes further than that. It’s about dealing with the well-being and the welfare of the child.

“Oftentimes we do not pay attention to the small things; but it is the small things that will turn into big things,” he told parents.

He stressed that the childhood years are the most impressionable years for any child, and that parents need to be much more responsible in raising their children. “A child will latch on to what they hear and see in those years.”

He encouraged parents to spend time with their children and to change the culture of violence that children are being raised in. Bailey also cautioned parents not to be violent to their children or to show any form of violence around them. He then made the point that abuse is not only physical, but can be psychological as well.

“Violence in any form impacts on our children. We live in a country where we continue to feed our children on a diet of violence — no society can exist like this. We cannot grow our children in an environment where they are exposed to violence and expect to have a good country,” the Area Two ACP said.

He cautioned parents about the things that they allow their children to see in the media, on social media, and even in the games they play. He said violence has become a part of everything, even in having fun.

“We have served a diet of violence to our children by our expression, by our personal interaction with each other, by our interactions even with our friends — even in some casual situations,” Bailey said while pointing out that persons who are now committing crimes were not born committing crimes.

“The foundation we lay for our children will determine the future of those children, it will determine how children expand in the larger society. The foundations are set by examples, the way we speak to our children.

“How many of us as parents monitor our children’s activities? We give them telephones and sometimes, under the guise of being too kind or too loving, we destroy our children. Loving a child does not mean we give them everything. Loving a child means that you must see to the development of that child. Is not everything they want you must give them.

“Let’s protect them; let’s love them. Let’s give them a different way of living,” he urged parents.

ACP Bailey warned that Vision 2030 which Jamaica hopes to achieve will not happen until all realise the role they have to play in reducing crime and violence

“That vision will not be achieved until we realise that everyone has a say in the reduction of crime and violence in our society,” he said as he urged parents to settle their conflicts without violence, while giving the example in St Ann earlier this year when a simple argument over $500 led to the murder of a man.

“If we continue to issue this level of violence in society it’s not going to change, because violence begets violence.

“You can’t just sit in your corner and say it’s not my business. One day it is going to become your business; and even us as police should avoid using force when it is not necessary.

“Whilst the police have the right to use force when they are confronted with violence, if we can find another option we have to find it. If we continue to issue this level of violence in society it’s not going to change, because violence begets violence,” Bailey restated.