This is the second of a two-part series. Part one was published on May 19, 2022.

In part one I outlined measures that the Government should implement on a systemic basis to truly reduce crime, but in order for a society to be safe and secure, the people have to carry their weight as well.

The Government has to empower the people in regard to self-defence, take a hard-line approach on crime, and make correct long-term decisions for the betterment of the nation.

Many crimes and offences could not take place if people were able to address the problems head-on and in mere seconds. For example, the removal of a licence/permit to use pepper spray, mace, and tasers could help many. According to Office of Justice Programs under the US Department of Justice, pepper spray/oleoresin capsicum sprays (OC) are 85 per cent effective.

According to APMReports, tasers have an efficacy range of 60 to 80 per cent. These less lethal weapons would give people a better fighting chance against perpetrators, and the removal of mandatory licences would also eliminate the red tape an individual would have to go through for self-protection.

Imagine the number of individuals, especially women and children, who would be able to protect themselves from thieves, sexual assaults, or worse.

Now you’re probably thinking: How would we prevent these weapons from being used with ill intent rather than for self-defence? If they are used in a context in which their use is found to be unnecessary or for mischievous reasons, then sanctions would be applied, which may include jail time. Although giving access to these tools to protect one’s self is good, there are many issues that still need to be addressed.

Citizen’s arrest needs to also be taught and encouraged as the police won’t always be able to come in time, but if good, upstanding citizens decide to execute this protocol a lot of criminals would be caught and certain crimes would be much harder to execute. Tools, such as a small taser, would be useful for this purpose. However, this should be done when the crime being committed has been observed by multiple individuals or when the act has been caught on some form of surveillance equipment.

Community watch programmes must be strengthened as strong communities that work in conjunction with the police and intelligence agencies would be a force to be reckoned with. This initiative would help specifically with robberies and domestic abuse.

According to the European Crime Prevention Network (EUCPN), when neighbourhood watch programmes are implemented, crime falls 16 to 26 per cent in the general area. Street lights should also be erected to make it easier for community members and police to observe what’s going on in the general vicinity.

Citizens should also be afforded the opportunity to arm themselves once background checks, psychological tests, and adequate training — a minimum of 120 hours is recommended — have been completed. Additionally, the firearms applicant should undergo weapons training; be taught stress reduction strategies; learn how to deal with multiple assailants; know the Firearms Act, cover to cover, and more.

The process of procuring a gun at the Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA) should not take years, but should be expeditious and efficient at weeding out unscrupulous individuals, such as people with criminal records and connections to criminal organisations.

These far-reaching changes would enable farmers, for example, to handle praedial larcenists themselves because they would be able to act faster without having to wait on the police to arrive. The fact of having guns on the property could even be a deterrent for some criminals.

According to the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Pearnel Charles Jr, Jamaican farmers lose over $5 billion to praedial larceny each year and this hinders growth and productivity within the sector.

Almost every time I have heard of a legal firearm used in Jamaica it was for something good, whether to prevent a crime from being carried out or to neutralise a threat. Many have been saved by having a legal firearm.

All these practices are good for defending yourself from criminals, but we must stop the main source as soon as possible.

Children in the inner cities are arguably the most underprivileged set in the country as they are born in an environment with little to no opportunities and grow up surrounded by bad influences.

These minors are the most vulnerable to being recruited into organised crime due to their surroundings. Many young men, from before the age of 15, are members of gangs, not only because they don’t have any better prospects, but they also yearn for the respect and praise that come from being a “badman” in their communities.

According to the ECC, more than a third of children in Jamaica do not have a father figure. The lack of a male figure can have multiple adverse socio-emotional effects, even if many would not like to admit this.

Meanwhile, a lot of young girls are forced into adverse activities, such as being molested or even being pressured into having children at a young age.

If we want these children to break the cycle, they need to be given better opportunities and removed, as far as possible, from their environments.

The only way this can be done properly is to construct several boarding schools for high school students, supported by the Jamaica Defence Force, in rural areas that are reasonably close to town centres for access to amenities. These high schools would be specifically geared to giving at-risk youth a more conducive environment to learn and develop. The Government would have to seek approval from parents/guardians, especially for those children who need more help academically and with discipline.

These schools would have to be equipped with the best resources and experienced, dedicated teachers and school administrators, and students must be given the opportunity to find their passion in a healthy environment, away from violence, drugs, guns, and dangerous individuals. Through personal development classes, they would also be taught the principles and values that every upstanding citizen must possess.

These academies would have to be free of cost and promote a wide range of career paths, including vocational professions. Once the students graduate, they ought to be given the opportunity to transition to higher education, skills training, and/or gainful employment.

Such an undertaking would be a costly and controversial venture, but it would be worth it in the end. We can’t expect children to grow up in volatile communities and come out as well-adjusted people without intervention.

Jamaica can become a place of choice to live, work, do business, and raise families, but it can’t become this while being one of the most crime-riddled countries in the Caribbean and Latin American region. I truly believe Jamaica can improve if government institutions are cleansed of corruption and incompetence, efficiently run, and properly funded.

We have to be more proactive as a nation in order to tackle these problems head-on or no true progress will be made.

Malik Smith is currently pursuing a double major in economics and banking and finance. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or @MalikSmithJM.