Criminologist urges call to action in new book

Criminologist Kim Ramsay has issued a sobering call to action, warning that systemic failures, childhood trauma, and societal indifference are fuelling Barbados’ violent crime crisis.

As she launched her sixth book, Evil Lurks Among Us, Ramsay laid bare the harsh realities of crime and challenged her audience to confront the factors that enable such atrocities.

“We just do not know who’s among us,” Ramsay declared at the launch, held at the Barbados Museum over the weekend.

Ramsay, a senior researcher in the Criminal Justice Research and Planning Unit, delivered a heartfelt and hard-hitting speech, combining real-life stories with a call for reform.

“Putting all these books together has not been easy for me,” she admitted. “This has been a journey. A journey of struggles. A journey of reopening stories. A journey of victims.”

Ramsay described her latest work as both challenging and necessary.

“Even though it’s a long book, it’s not an easy book to read,” she said. “I mean, I’ve written Murders That Shocked Barbados, but when we look at the depravity of human beings and what they’re capable of doing to each other, we sometimes wonder, Why do we do this to each other? Why do we hurt each other the way we do?”

She opened with examples of victims whose stories are at the heart of her book.

“Throughout my books, you see that a lot of victims have been children,” she explained. “Children who did not have a chance. Little Jeffrey died at 23 months. Amanda Newton, who was 10 years old. Gillian Bayne, who I knew personally. And other stories of persons who’ve been victimised.”

Ramsay questioned the audience: “Why did people do this to each other?”

Through her research, Ramsay noted that she uncovered the harsh realities faced by both victims and perpetrators.

“The book examines serial killers and rapists, not just as the perpetrators of heinous crimes but as complex individuals,” she said. “They are shaped by a confluence of factors—mental illness, substance abuse, and circumstances that make crimes of opportunity possible.”

She elaborated on the concept of “crimes of opportunity,” sharing insights from interviews with rapists. “Most of them admitted that they did not set out to rape that particular day. It just was an issue of a crime of opportunity,” she revealed.

But Ramsay cautioned against oversimplifying these crimes. “Dangerous offenders, such as some of the ones I wrote about—serial killers, serial rapists, perpetrators of intimate partner violence, and those who commit atrocities against children—exist on the extreme verges of human experience,” she said. “They are viewed with fear, revulsion, and morbid curiosity. But beyond the sensational narratives lies a complex web of factors that contribute to their behaviour.”

One of Ramsay’s key themes was the systemic failures that allow violent crimes to persist. She highlighted the intersections of mental health, substance abuse, and a lack of adequate rehabilitation programmes. “The intersection of mental illness and violent crime is crucial to understanding their dynamics,” she said. “Untreated or poorly managed conditions, particularly those involving paranoia, delusion, or severe personality disorders, can play a role in some crimes.”

Substance abuse, she explained, exacerbates the issue. “Many persons who commit heinous crimes are struggling with drugs, and mixed again with other factors—personality disorders—can lead to serious crime,” Ramsay noted.

In Barbados, systemic weaknesses, such as overburdened courts and insufficient rehabilitation programmes, hinder progress. “Inadequate sex offender treatment programmes and poor offender management are critical weaknesses in our criminal justice system,” she said. “Many offenders slip through the cracks due to overburdened courts, insufficient rehabilitation programmes, and limited coordination between agencies.”

The criminologist also identified childhood trauma as one of the most significant contributors to criminal behaviour. “Emerging from the book is the common theme of childhood trauma and unhealthy living conditions, generational trauma, parental criminality, and general poor socialisation,” she explained. “These factors contribute to crime, and we must address them through targeted interventions with vulnerable persons.”

She also discussed the societal role in enabling deviant behaviour. “Parents, caregivers, even family and the wider community—a child living in such an environment, already disadvantaged through other socioeconomic factors, is more likely to engage in antisocial or criminal behaviours and attitudes,” Ramsay noted.

She called for investments in early intervention, mental health care, and offender rehabilitation. “We need to invest in early intervention, addressing childhood trauma, and providing support for at-risk families,” she said. “Expand and improve on mental health care and substance abuse treatment, ensuring that they are accessible to those most vulnerable.”

She also emphasised the importance of proactive measures: “Electronic monitoring, strengthening bail conditions, and speedier trials—combined with these strategies—can result in safer communities.”

Addressing intimate partner violence, she pointed to the societal attitudes and power dynamics that perpetuate such crimes. “These crimes reflect not only individual pathology but also broader cultural issues, along gender, gender roles, toxic masculinity, and the failure to address one’s sense of escalating abuse,” she said.

Ramsay called for public reflection on their role in creating a safer society. “As you read the book, I encourage you to reflect not only on the cases and themes they present but also on the role we all play in delivering a safe society,” she said. “It starts with awareness, extends into advocacy, and ultimately demands systemic change.”

“Evil lurks among us, yes, but so does the potential for good. Together, we can create a world where the vulnerable are protected, the troubled are supported, and justice prevails.”