Although there have recently been many proposed solutions to the problem of juvenile crime that plagues Jamaica, it seems as if the poverty level-combined with an extremely high rate of population growth-effectively cancel these out.  Adults and citizens of this beautiful country are outraged and frustrated as they continue to witness brutal crimes, the majority of which are being committed by juveniles.  However, Jamaica is a Third World country with a history of severe economic crises and there seems to be no relief in sight.  This situation is not something that receives a lot of publicity in the United States, where we view Jamaica more commonly as an ideal vacation destination.  We hear that it is a ‘dangerous’ country, but we have only a vague interpretation why.

I had an opportunity to honeymoon in Jamaica in 2002, and it was these perceptions that I took with me.  But I found myself returning home with something quite different.

My husband and I stayed at the Sandals Resort in Montego Bay.  The beauty of the country is indescribable.  The white sand feels like silk between your toes, and the Caribbean Sea is turquoise blue and so clear that you can see the coral reefs from the plane.  It is ‘island paradise’ in every sense of the word.  We loved our resort, but were eager to experience some of the real culture as well as partake in some of the daytrips.  On our way to Dunn’s River Falls, our eyes were opened to some of the events occurring in Jamaica.  Our taxi driver asked what we thought their most valuable crop was.  I wrongly guessed coffee.  He revealed to us that it is marijuana.  He said it is easy to grow marijuana in their climate, and people make extraordinary amounts of money from it-significantly more than what is earned in law-abiding careers.  This explained the contrast of the flashy cars parked outside dilapidated homes, which we in the States would call shacks.  He further explained that there exists no free public education system.  Parents of Jamaican children are expected to pay tuition, uniforms and books to send their children to a crumbling schoolhouse.  Those who cannot afford this are instead forced to place their children in the street work force selling various goods to help feed the family.  I will always appreciate that taxi driver’s honesty, as my perceptions were permanently altered at that instant 

Upon viewing the documentary Life and Debt, I attained an even greater understanding of the everyday struggles facing Jamaicans.  The film explains the economic situation and presents the fact that developed countries—as well as world financial institutions run by these countries, such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund—often fail to aid.  They present the pretense that they want to help.  However, in the end they make a country such as Jamaica more destitute by charging outrageous interest fees and making it impossible to compete in the world trade market.  The United States in particular has done irreparable damage to their banana and milk industries.  In this regard, it is the perfect example of the ‘big guy’ keeping the ‘small guy’ down. […]  To deal with the economic problems, the IMF forces Jamaica to devalue their money, pay high interest rates on credit, and cut back wages (US$30/week) to encourage employment.  The results?  Increased unemployment, sweeping corruption, increased violence, prohibitive food costs, dilapidated hospitals and increased disparity between rich and poor.

Juvenile crime is a crippling problem in Jamaica.  From January to June 2003, more than 1400 people aged twelve to thirty committed serious crimes, at the same time, 1626 of the same age group were victims of serious crimes.  Frighteningly, there exists a great amount of gender-based violence, as well as child molestation (some of which is committed in juvenile rehabilitation facilities).  There are several contributing factors.  Over half of all households are headed by single women; there is poor access to education; police are accused of corruption; and there is the problem of poverty, which seems to be the hidden evil behind everything.  […]

There really is a sense of desperation throughout the community, which can be daunting to a tourist as merchants fight amongst themselves and place enormous pressure on shoppers to buy from them.  However, just as apparent is the hard-working ethic of the people, as well as their determination to rise above their enormous obstacles, which speaks volumes about their character.

Mercifully, there have been some programs implemented to combat this problem of juvenile crime.  But there also needs to be major changes in the quality and availability of health care and education, as well as a few technological advances to help Jamaica become a competitor in the global market.

In such an incredible country, it is sad to view the darkness that lies beneath the surface.  And, for me, it is even sadder to know that no well-established country with ample resources can find a coherent solution and help Jamaica establish economic growth.

It is up to us as human beings to come to the aid of one another, and it would be an atrocity of the utmost degree to continue to let these children grow up in these conditions, where there is not an opportunity flourish—only to survive to live another day.

Please give us YOUR opinion!
...and see what others are saying, too
The Global Forum

Sources for this essay include

*Jamaica Launches Programme to Combat Youth Crime.”  BBC Monitoring International Reports.  August 16, 2003.

 Philips, Peter.  “Facing Violence in Jamaica.”  The Gleaner:  October 12, 2003.

Author Jennifer Weiss is a SCC student.

Related link:

www.lifeanddebt.org