Dr David Allen has called for measures to take on the rate of violent crime in The Bahamas.
By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
POSITING that anger and the rate of violent crime in the country were critically linked, renowned psychologist Dr David Allen is calling for the imposition of mandatory national service and a national curfew in “high crime areas”.
The suggestions are among a list of recommendations to combat crime based on the findings of his community-based outreach project “The Family: People Helping People” in an advertisment in national daily newspapers today.
Dr Allen said: “Each person must spend some time working in the best interest of our little country, The Bahamas. For young people coming out of high school, there should be a period of national service from one to two years in duration.
“Older persons should be willing to contribute several weekends per year.
“The Bahamas is a beautiful place, but unless it is cared for, the nation will be destroyed,” he added.
A complementary programme to national service, Dr Allen said, would be the establishing of a well-organized cadet programme attached to various branches of law enforcement with pathways to future employment.
Dr Allen acknowledged that the imposition of a curfew was a “debatable” strategy; however, he noted that “drastic times demand drastic measures”. He said that curfews must be well planned, clearly defined and efficiently executed.
“Our challenge is that unless we reduce the anger rate in the country, it may be very difficult to reduce the rate of homicides and violent crimes,” the release issued yesterday read.
“The journey of reducing the crime rate in The Bahamas is no easy feat. It will take time, patience and intense effort but hopefully these points can function as a first step to helping us move toward a crime-free Bahamas.”
Recommendations call for the appointment of a citizen security council to bridge the gap between government policy and community concerns; the use of foreign law enforcement and the Defence Force; legal reform on capital punishment, bail restrictions, and the witness protection programme; to establish a residential programme for at-risk young men; psychological support for law enforcement; and the use of CCTV in high crime areas.
The Family project has 26 focus groups ongoing in New Providence, and data collected indicate that the top six crime issues are: anger; violence; grief and sadness; relationship dysfunction; abuse; and suicidal ideation and depression.
For Dr David Allen’s full anti-crime plan, see page 14
Comments
DMoe 7 years, 5 months ago
Mandatory for who? Rich kids, poor kids, black kids, white kids, boys, girls, college bound, smart kids, not so smart kids, politicans kids, or just kids with no pull. How do you determine which kids must serve? Justo asking.
The_Oracle 7 years, 5 months ago
Here we go again, meaning well no doubt but reality says it will not work, as you cannot legislate people into lawful behavior UNLESS the laws are equally and consistently enforced. In this, we have failed completely. Once gone a civil society is incredibly hard to restore, without drastic measures which circumvent the rule of law themselves. And therein lies the danger: We are already well on our way to Oligarchy, tribal rule. This is the catch 22, which has been faced by many countries, especially former Colonies. Few have reversed their decline by anything short of despotic rule. Unfortunately that also proves very hard to get rid of! No, we have taken a Constitutional Monarchy and successfully reduced it to near rubble. Give us a bit more time, we will finish the job.
Voltaire 7 years, 5 months ago
Very well said.
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 5 months ago
Now this soft clown wants us to become a military state to protect the lavish lifestyle of the elites among us like himself. Under a normal westminster parliamentary system of government, like the one in the U.K., Crooked Christie would have long ago been forced to step down. But sadly the leadership apparatus of our main political parties has been too easily corrupted by the likes of Crooked Christie, Arrogant Ingraham and more recently, Dimwit Minnis, and we have for the most part a very dupable voting population incapable of discerning right from wrong. These three egocentric megalomaniacs (Christie, Ingraham and now Minnis) learned from Ruthless Poodling that only two things need be done to defeat our country's system of government, thereby allowing absolute rule by the PM with impunity: (1) become a de facto dictator of their political party resulting in the ability to appoint candidates for elected office who are loyal to the party's leader above all else, including the well-being of the Bahamian people; and (2) dumb down the voters by granting citizenship to the poorest and least educated foreigners possible in exchange for their vote while at the same time creating and maintaining a D- public education system for the vast majority of future voters.
John 7 years, 5 months ago
Look on the front page of today's newspaper: An eighteen year male charge with every serious crime conceivable, including murder, kidnapping, rape, armed robbery and receiving. Eighteen years old. Search the news media a little more and see the video of a group of females rolling around in the dirt at a famous social spot fighting like cats (and dogs) while others in the crowd, including young men, urge others to 'leave them alone and let them *thug it out." Look at the hundreds of people who got out their beds at 4 this morning and went to BTC's outlet and was willing to engage in pushing and shoving matches and even fistfights for a cell phone. The problem is the entire value system in this country has shifted. Our youth are under attack, spiritually, and the last thing that is needed right now is for someone to 'lull them to sleep," with false hope that a curfew and national service will fix everything that is wrong with them. The biggest problem is that the children are not being properly prepared for spiritual warfare. They are not prepared or properly equipped with armor to resist all the weapons and firery darts that are being thrown at them. Many are products of split-parenting where it is ok to do certain things when they live with their daddy but it is not ok with their moms. They watch and observe what is going on with government and other institutions. They for the most part are confused (and yes some are lost). You cannot wait until a child turns 15, 16,17 and say you gonna fix that with national service and curfews. A child is most formative when he/she is two/there/four years old. That is when the battle must start and for some parents it is some of them who need curfews and national services. Some need parenting school. This is the going into the fifth generation where crime has been prevelant in this country and going into the third generation where murder is is a major concern.
John 7 years, 4 months ago
Think of yourself as a teenager today: friends you grew up with are getting killed. Others are going to jail and yet others are turning to drugs and substance abuse. There is a drug on the streets now that is said to more dangerous and more harmful than cocaine. Adults don't understand what is going on and so the youth are even more lost. They want to know where is the life full of happiness and prosperity that is promised to them. Is there really any rewards for hard work when they see their parents getting up everyday to go and slave, 'just to keep a roof over dey head." And those who have lost their homes and businesses in the struggle. There are young men who have to work from 3-10 and even until 12 midnight to 'help out at home and keep food on the table.' They will be the ones most affected by a curfew. To deny them the right to work will make even greater problems. So whilst curfews and national service may be tools to be utilized there has to be earlier intervention to prevent the need on a national level. A one pronged approach to such a complex problem will not work.
banker 7 years, 4 months ago
Y'all know that this is Prime Minister Crisco Butt's cousin, right?
licks2 7 years, 4 months ago
Well said all. . .yinna see the problem well. . .perhaps has contributed to it. . .some of yinna round here sure talk like yall are "up with them". . .persons like Dr. Allen who just want the "natives dem" to behave so that they can carry on smartly "akkin" like the noble class! Persons who are "up in there" will never provide an equal and balanced solution that is designed to benefit all persons. . .the rich and the poor. Just look at these posts. . .placing the blame squarely at the "door step" of the poor. . .when the poor do not make policies, run governments, determine what goes in their societies, provide input for what happens in their communities and given no redress, for the most part, when they are exploited by the social nobles in their own nation! UBP, PLP, FNM all have ruled this nation for the benefit for family, friends and lovers! And I suspect that the DNA and all other fringe parties are not going to do any better. . .from the belly of those ancient parties comes DNA et all! For example, Dr. Allen is a cousin of the leadership of the DNA, PLP and possible the future FNM! Further, the Doc is one of the original and senior advisor for the DNA party!
Thus we are the creators of that "underclass" of persons that do not care for the nation. . .IT IS OUR NATION. . .NOT THEIRS. . .THEY GET LITTLE OR NO BENEFIT FROM HER. . .WE THE SO CALLED "HAVES" DO HAVE THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. . .BUT IT WILL REQUIRE GIVING THE POOR A PIECE OF THE ECONOMIC PIE. . .AND WE CAN'T EVER DO THAT!
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