ON April 21, in this space, we asserted that: “Children are not born violent; they live what they learn…”

That truth is so obvious we often don’t bother to think about it.

Many of us learnt basic behaviour, right from wrong, while we were yet toddlers.

That early learnt behaviour was solidified over time — not just at home or in the community, but at school, at church, at play… and eventually at work.

However, a frightening reality with which Jamaicans must urgently come to grips is that an ever-increasing number of our young people never learnt right from wrong at home or at the community level. And by the time they got to school and beyond the damage was already far gone, though perhaps not irreversible.

Please don’t get us wrong, we are not here suggesting that this problem is new. Jamaica — with its history of enslavement and ruthless exploitation of many, by others — has always had its fair share of hopeless impoverishment and overarching ignorance, often resulting in a paucity of proper guidance for the young.

We contend that this inadequacy of socialisation is getting much worse, translated into extreme violence perpetuated at all ages, and acquisitive crimes of all sorts, including lotto scamming.

Today, many Jamaicans apparently see nothing wrong with ruthlessly fleecing the naïve and the elderly in North America, especially.

Indeed, disgraced politician Mr Dennis Meadows was reported to have got support from some when he openly supported scamming — a misdeed for which he was booted as an aspiring candidate by the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP), despite an apology.

So, for example, while we all take heart from pledges that all will be done to “remove” those responsible for the recent murder of a teenaged student at Grange Hill High School, we need to recognise that the problem goes way beyond that — to a poisonously destructive mindset.

By whatever means, a way has to be found to so re-orient our young that in time — it won’t happen immediately — rampant violence, criminality, and mindless delinquency as we have become accustomed is reduced to a bare minimum, if not banished from our midst.

As is now accepted far and wide, recognition of that necessity motivated former Prime Minister P J Patterson to launch his Values and Attitudes Programme 30 years ago, only for it to be undermined and destroyed for politically partisan reasons.

If we are to go by the spoken word, well-thinking Jamaicans now see the need for such a comprehensively implemented programme to strengthen, protect and sustain society and economy.

Why then are we not doing it in our schools, communities, on street corners, at workplaces, etc?

We should be using State agencies such as the Social Development Commission, as well as political representatives, community leaders, business leaders, trade unionists, pastors, justices of the peace, every respected/influential person, everywhere.

In late 2021, in Mandeville, another former prime minister, Mr Bruce Golding, explored this toxic problem of rampant crime, displaced values, and disorder.

Regarding the obvious solution, Mr Golding said: “…We don’t need to engage any high-priced consultant… We don’t need any social anthropologist; it’s a simple thing. It’s called socialisation…”

He added: “Socialisation is something that you can’t avoid.”

Jamaicans and their leaders need to stop pussyfooting around and get to the crux of the matter.