For societies to grow and prosper, they depend on a cogent body of rules that are understood and accepted by citizens. When the rules are known, people can operate with some certainty. These rules are simple, like coming to a stop at a red light or staying in designated traffic lanes or paying for a commercial transaction. It helps to protect property, save lives, maintain order and allows citizens to operate within a context. Maintaining law and order also encourages people to do the right thing for the common good.
Crime and criminal activity are forms of deviant behaviour which undermine the orderly functioning of a society. Criminal activity is destabilising as it introduces an element of randomness which increases uncertainty and underlies the basics on which society depends. If people do not feel safe, they are unlikely to frequent places where they feel insecure or invest and live in that country. Law and order are not only about rules. It is also about a socialisation process which inculcates and passes on those rules to the youth, who will become the citizens of tomorrow.
Key instruments in the socialisation process are the home, the school and the community. Basic human interaction and civility are learnt at home and reinforced at school. But the level of violence reported in schools tells us that schools are not reinforcing respect for authority or discipline. Far from it. Young men and teenagers are committing violent gun crimes. What effect did the gunfire rattling outside the Rose Hill RC Primary School compound have on the children who were forced to huddle under their desks? Does the increasing incidence of gunfire and murder “normalise” violent conduct?
Addressing crime is not only about CCTV cameras, passing legislation or putting more police on the street, or making empty political statements. These are superficial approaches. There are deeper forces at work which are influencing the changes taking place in our society, and they need to be addressed in holistic, integrated policy approaches to diagnose, treat and address the societal changes and the value systems which see law and order as an enemy.
Perceptions of injustice, marginalisation, inadequate recreational facilities, poor housing conditions, underemployment, and illiteracy are some of the issues which require long-term solutions. The country will be better off the sooner the authorities responsible for addressing law and order incorporate these views in their solutions.
Unfortunately, governmental institutions often operate as silos with poorly coordinated or frequently uncoordinated policy positions. That is the role of the Cabinet and the National Security Council which are both chaired by the same person. Whilst the Education Ministry is not part of the apparatus of the National Security Council, there can be no doubt that the failures in the education system are helping to provide a steady stream of gangland recruits.
It is easy to politicise crime as both political parties have, advertising each other’s inadequacies. Unfortunately, that route is unproductive and does little to address the national priority which is to reduce the crime level. Indeed, all have been inadequate. Instead of playing the blame game, our leaders need to ensure that the institutions necessary to maintain law and order understand their role, are fit for purpose, are given the tools to do their job, effectively managed, monitored, measured and are accountable for results. All of which need measurable goals.