Don’t exaggerate Jamaica’s crime problem

THE EDITOR, Sir:

RECENTLY, THERE has been mention of Jamaica in absolute crisis. Frankly, these reports are grossly untrue.

A crisis, by any dictionary definition, will speak of calamity, catastrophe and disaster. That is not the case in Jamaica.

While there is a very serious problem with murder and some serious crimes, several offences remain in steady decline. A steady decline is proof of security policy and infrastructure that is banding together to snuff out crime.

More ammunition has been seized, representing an increase of 15.9 per cent. While the increase in illegal weapon finds and ammunition seizure is admirable, what is even more noteworthy are the decreases in other crimes.

Aggravated assault has seen a drop of more than 45 per cent, break-ins are down 12.60 per cent, and rape has fallen by more than 22 per cent. The figures are no secret and can be attained from the Ministry of National Security, but good news isn’t sensational enough and often we fall on to the revolving wheel of spreading bad news.

We ought to be careful about crying crisis, for just like the boy who cried wolf, we run the risk of desensitising ourselves to the point that should an actual crisis occur, we may not be able to recognise it.

CLAUDE MCPHERSON mcphersonclaude32@gmail.com