Prime Minister Andrew Holness correctly described the murder of eight people, including a seven-year-old, and the injuring of nine others at Cherry Tree Lane in Clarendon as an act of “terror”, not just ordinary crime.

Even against the backdrop of multiple atrocities across this violence-prone nation since the 1960s, Sunday night’s mass shooting has left Jamaicans stunned and the people of the community traumatised.

It’s in that context that Mr Holness said in a social media posting that killers should be prepared to “either meet the judge or meet their maker, whichever they choose” as the authorities strive to eliminate criminal gangs.

Yet, we can’t fault Jamaicans For Justice Executive Director Ms Mickel Jackson’s assertion that the prime minister’s comment has the potential to incite vigilantism and a “culture of violence and retribution”.

It’s a reminder that as the security forces and Government, with the backing of the population, plan and strategise to defeat gangs and their vicious, cold-hearted members there can be no place for emotionalism.

Available evidence suggests the security forces have admirably set about bringing to justice those responsible for the terrorism in Cherry Tree Lane. Reports up to Thursday said one alleged perpetrator had been killed in a confrontation with police and that several others had been taken into custody.

Over the longer term, we agree with Ms Jackson that what’s needed is for the Government to “prioritise the implementation of effective security measures and legislative frameworks that address the root causes of crime. This includes tackling the rampant influx of illegal firearms into our communities and ensuring that contraband does not infiltrate our prison systems”.

We like the “intelligence-driven” and “targeted” approach that we have been told is being taken in locating those responsible for Sunday’s atrocity.

Indeed, it would appear that strategy is largely responsible for the praiseworthy decline in murders and other major crimes over the last two years.

We hear that not just the Cherry Tree Lane massacre but other extreme acts of violence and criminality are connected to people overseas and also local gangsters, some of whom are in prison.

We expect that partnerships with overseas law enforcement agencies will help to counter the impact on Jamaica of criminals based abroad. That should include a reduction in the flow of guns and ammunition to these shores.

Clearly, too, Jamaica’s porous prison system needs urgent attention.

Much has been said about building a new, modern, maximum security prison. Meanwhile, ways must be found to tighten security in our prisons.

Those inside should have no contact with criminals on the outside.

Hi-tech surveillance is obviously among the ways to go.

Beyond law enforcement there must be crime prevention. We have repeatedly urged united action across political lines in partnership with all segments of society as an essential element.

Central to that must be the organisation of communities to help people confidently assert themselves in supporting the security forces and marginalising wrongdoers.

That same community building should be part and parcel of any drive to minimise ignorance and poverty as well as encourage positive values and attitudes at all ages — more especially the young.

The much-admired private sector-driven Project Star is a model to follow.

We keep saying, and we say again, Jamaicans and their leaders must get to it.