Barbadians, we have a crime and deviant behaviour problem, and it isn’t about the lack of government and private sector initiatives, neither is it about employment opportunities. It is about the erosion of values and morals in our homes.
Simply put, many youths lack broughtupsy. Everyone has a prescription to fix the crime problem, but like most problems, people want to treat the symptoms rather than find the endogenous factors that cause the issue.
“The government needs to implement harsher punishment.” “The government needs to get away from the lick-and-lock-up behaviour.” “The young people need jobs.” “Young people don’t want to work.” “The government paying thugs and gangsters.” “The government needs to sit at the table with the gang leaders to find the root cause of crime.” These are a few of the contradictory messages offered up, with other solutions including the involvement of the church and private sector, parenting sessions, sporting activities, and equipping youth with trades and skills. But if the initiatives and programmes already exist, why aren’t they being adequately utilised? The problem cannot be access and availability.
Youth unemployment is often mentioned as a cause of crime, with some economists suggesting that a good economy that provides stable jobs prevents crime, but correlation doesn’t equate to causation. In the 2005 census of Glendairy Prison, the Owen Arthur administration reported that there were 942 inmates in prison – made up of 95 per cent males and five per cent females – with 32 per cent of all inmates incarcerated for violent offences. Twenty-one per cent were between the ages of 26 and 30 years old, but by 2018 there were 861 inmates, 102 of which were youth awaiting trial. In that same year (2005) the youth unemployment rate stood at 21 per cent, with the overall unemployment rate at nine per cent. Youth unemployment stood at around 25 per cent as of 2023, while the overall unemployment rate was seven per cent. There were more incarcerated during good times when our economy was thriving than during economic downturns. This is proof that even in a thriving economy, job opportunities alone cannot prevent criminal activity. Whatever the stats on youth in prison, it’s safe to say this number doesn’t reflect the majority of our youth. However, the data suggests that although we’ve seen too much criminal activity, the majority of our young men do not lack programmes or opportunities.
At some point, we cannot continue with the excuses, or find someone or something to blame. We should look at ourselves, as all of us are complicit in and responsible for the drastic change in societal values, norms, and behaviours. There has also been a decline in discipline in society, a disrespect for law and order, seen in everything from running red lights to confronting police. The issues we see now haven’t started overnight, but reasonable critique, self-evaluation, and solutions are missing from most conversations.
We must also ask ourselves, ‘Do we want the government to consult with us at every turn or should we expect our elected officials to find solutions and make tough decisions that benefit us all?’ For example, many parents are against searches at schools and label it as a violation, yet recently there have been stabbing incidents. Violent events and calls for searches aren’t new and shouldn’t be met with anger. The reality is, without looking at the roles we play as parents, family members, and friends, it seems unlikely that any government strategies will bear success.
The government, educators, social workers, welfare officers, and the like aren’t responsible for raising our children. The role of a government, developed on the tenets of social democracy, is to aid citizens to become self-sufficient, healthy, and functioning adults.
Admittedly, I wasn’t always appreciative of the guidance and tough love given in my younger days, but now as a young adult navigating life, I am better off for it. Thus, the answer starts with change through socialisation – family, friends, and community. We cannot turn a blind eye when it is family or friends but complain about the uptick in violence, and action must be taken against parents who see their children going down the wrong path but encourage them by way of their silence.
Conversely, if we believe in second chances, should our society not reflect an effort to reduce crime and recidivism with reintegration methods and ideas from past offenders? If past offenders can offer insight, we shouldn’t objurgate the government’s efforts to work with them. The opposition was invited and declined to assist the government’s efforts to tackle crime, yet intends to solve the issue without listening to the issues these youth face that put them on the wrong path. I suppose it is logical to come to the youth and past offenders when it is time to take pictures and seek votes. Perhaps that is the time to engage at-risk communities.
For true change to occur, all of us must look at our biases and prejudices, see something and say something rather than wait until the issues come to our doorsteps to take to the call-in programmes and social media. These behaviours can be corrected if each of us sees these behaviours as a challenge to be addressed in all of our homes and communities.
The victims and perpetrators are becoming younger each time we see the news headlines and the acts are brazen. Something has got to give. This isn’t a political issue, it is a societal problem that impacts us all and requires all of our attention now.
Katasha Nicholas
