Given the frightening murder rate, it’s easy to understand the reasoning behind the latest declaration of states of emergency (SOEs).

That’s although, only last year, the strategy was dropped.

In the Jamaican experience, dating back to the 1960s, it’s a strategy that does work over the short term. Murders, shootings, and the like usually decline sharply as the security forces use extraordinary measures against so-called crime producers.

In that respect we have no quarrel with the Government, at this time, using extraordinary measures to combat gunmen running amok.

That said, Prime Minister Andrew Holness and his Government should tread carefully. We disagree with Mr Holness’s dismissive classification as “an academic debate” perceptions by some that SOEs facilitate breaches of Jamaican law.

The context, of course, is that last year the Supreme Court made a far-reaching ruling that the detention of five men under the then SOE was unlawful. That ruling has been challenged by the Government and we await the outcome.

Meanwhile, the case laid out by the prime minister and the commissioner of police for SOEs in St James, Hanover, Westmoreland, and sections of Kingston and St Andrew can’t be ignored.

We hear that 1,240 Jamaicans have been murdered up to Friday, November 12, and another 11 were killed in the 24 hours up to yesterday. Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson told yesterday’s virtual press conference that 392 Jamaicans had been killed across the four targeted Kingston police divisions, representing 32 per cent of murders nationally.

Also, 1,100 people had been shot and injured in the period.

As has happened previously, we expect the activity of the army and police will reduce the incidence of violent crime in the short term — hopefully, this time, without attracting the displeasure of the court.

But then what?

SOEs can’t continue forever. There has to be a long-term strategy to deal with the root causes of violent crime.

Community leaders, not least political representatives, have been very clear that the social welfare-based zones of special operations (ZOSOs), which have been used alongside SOEs, have had positive consequences.

Beyond that, this newspaper reiterates the call for Government to adopt comprehensive, long-term social programmes, in partnership with relevant organisations — public and private — to not just rid communities of criminals, but to ensure new criminals are not spawned as a matter of course.

It has to be a long-term strategy. Violent crime — especially wrought by the gun — as we have known it for half a century and more, will not end tomorrow.

Solutions must include grass-roots organisation of our communities, incorporating leadership and skills training, employment strategies including self-help entrepreneurial projects, et al.

Very importantly, there must be a way found to make sure that the many children now living in the most impoverished conditions, often deprived of love and attention, are rescued, properly educated, socialised and trained in appropriate skills.

Jamaicans like to say that children are blessings. We suggest that, if they are not cared for, they can easily become the opposite. Therein, we suspect, is a main source of Jamaica’s extreme problem of violent crime.