Those Pockets of Violence...

There is still a lot that we need to learn and discuss about crime and violence in Jamaica.

The nuances which give us some sort of comfort that we will be 'safe' are staring right at us. Maybe this is the reason so many of us have an issue with the media describing us as 'an extraordinarily violent country'.

Yes, it is true that to large extent, as Fae Ellington said, the violence in our country is concentrated in certain pockets across the island.

We take lots of pleasure in knowing that the likelihood of being murdered is reduced because of where we live, the family we were born into, our ability to pay for our safety and security, etc. This is the very reason we become so alarmed when someone is killed uptown. We suddenly realized how awful things are and the work that the government, police, church and other community groups need to do to reduce the level of insecurity.

I think it is important that we acknowledge why these pockets exist and not merely use the nuances of the situation to castigate people for supposedly 'misrepresenting' the country.

The vast majority of Jamaicans do not have the privilege of knowing that the police will respond quickly when they make a call if there is an issue in their community. They do not have a high level official to call if they aren't getting what they need. They don't have the assurance of knowing that the justice system will work for them. The situation is particularly difficult for those who are from or live in the communities, the pockets that are characterized by high levels of crime and violence.

The nuances do not take away from the fact that at least 1500 people are murdered in this country every year and that this makes us one of the most violent countries worldwide. The outrage is understandable but unwarranted. I think that outrage could be channeled to ensure that the government allocates the scarce resources much better so the justice system works for everyone and that the police is able to and will serve and protect all of us, regardless of where we live for example.

Statistics don't really capture nuances unless they are meant to be granular.