By Akola Thompson

GUYANA, like all countries around the world, is no stranger to crime. If there is one day in which the newspapers do not have anything crime- related, it is considered a strange one. Despite our familiarity with crime, however, recent years have shown an increase in youth-based crimes which have caused many in the public to wonder about the state of the country’s future.

If one were to look at the larger picture, however, one would soon realize that the rise in youth-based crimes should not be surprising. Given Guyana’s youth unemployment rates, which hover around 40%; easy access to drugs, lack of rehabilitation facilities, unstable families, and the harsh penalties meted out to first time non-violent offenders, it is a wonder youth crimes are not of a higher number.

Unemployment has long since been linked to an increase in the likelihood of a life of poverty, and poverty has been linked to an increase in the likelihood of someone becoming a criminal. While it is understood that unemployment is a global problem and it will most likely not be fixed in our lifetime, the current administration seems to have forgotten its promise of creating jobs for the youths. In fact, since the election has been won, I cannot recall hearing much regarding the coalition’s plans on how exactly it will provide these jobs.

Then, of course, there is the easy access to drugs, which results in a considerable amount of junkies, who would maim or kill for another ‘fix.’ Yet, in spite of the correlation between drugs and crime, there are no rehabilitation centres to help guide these persons to healthier lifestyles.
If there are any plans on a rehab centre being built, it must be a closely guarded secret.

That aside, there remains the unrelenting issue of first time non-violent offenders who receive sentences which do them more harm than good, as these offenders are often housed with hardened criminals who can negatively influence their future life choices.

There needs to be greater thought on the part of judges. Collective efforts need to be made to ensure that punishments fit crimes, and alternatives to incarceration need to be considered, because, contrary to popular belief, Guyana can be made safer without having every non-violent offender imprisoned.

Judges who hand down sentences without impunity to first-time offenders while career criminals roam free fail to realize that they are unnecessarily tearing apart struggling family structures and communities; they are closing future job opportunities, and, in the process, they are perpetuating poverty.

Many, through fear, make calls for more stringent laws to be put in place in the hope that longer, harsher sentences will dissuade youths from participating in illegal activities.
These persons have become more concerned with corrective measures than with preventative ones, in that they would rather that millions be spent on prisons than have thousands be spent on youth-based programmes.

We see this same mindset in the Government, both past and present administrations, as it was hoped that crime would be curbed through the use of punishments and rewards.

The Minister of Public Security has, in the past year, made some lovely speeches regarding the need for juvenile reforms, and is seeking to have crimes such as wandering and truancy reviewed. However, while I know the popular argument will be that it has only been a year since Government has been changed, one should wonder what exactly the Minister has done to directly impact the level of crime within Guyana. I am sure that the 2:00am curfew implemented is not responsible for the supposed decrease in crime if one is to trust the Guyana Police Force’s recent statistics.

All of that aside, one should always consider the role the family has to play in the honing of one’s character and future life choices. While the Government does have a responsibility to its people, the people have a responsibility to themselves, and should seek to educate and encourage those around them to make smart decisions. While one can understand the lure the gains from illegal activities would have on those living in poverty, one should always remember that while crime may pay temporarily, it often ends in tragedy.