CRIME should not be taken lightly, as hoodlums are becoming bolder these days. The school environment, bad parenting, lack of jobs, lack of police personnel and enforcement, and the justice system itself are some of the factors contributing to the increase in violent crime.

If violent crimes are allowed to pervade society it will impede economic growth, as investors and tourists will turn away from the country.

Children these days are exposed to scenes of violence all around them. Rape, gang robberies, outraging modesty and house break-ins are all violent acts that children come to see and read through the media. In some societies, this has become a way of life.

In some cases, it is due to lack of parental care that children grow up acquiring disorderly and violent traits in life that lead to criminal activities. Neglecting children and allowing them to mix with bad hats in society could pave the way for them to resort to violent crimes later.

On the streets, we find it near impossible to control the many illegals that are in the country who resort to various violent crimes. Many are without any personal documents, and more often they go undetected.

Worse still, many of our youths are unemployed because foreigners have taken up jobs meant for them. Employers find it cheaper and less pernickety hiring foreign workers.

Strengthening the police force would be a good idea, but re-employing retired policemen would not help much in curbing crime, unless they are meant to train young officers. The age factor would confine these officers to desk jobs.

The cry now is for a greater police presence in all neighbourhoods. The police force should wrest these areas back from the criminals. Thus, we need more young blood in the force.

Corruption also paves the way for criminal activities. When enforcement officers are vulnerable to corrupt practices, crime will permeate society.

Syndicates involved in smuggling, prostitution, vehicle theft, and drug trafficking would not hesitate to resort to violence when confronted by enforcement officers. If corruption is hard to contain, we could see an escalation in crime.

Our criminal justice system again should be reviewed as many suspects – some charged with rape, murder and armed robbery – have got away in many cases because the physical evidence to prosecute them was not there. The justice system should see crime as a chronic symptom in society, and those arrested should be harshly punished once convicted.

There has to be a strong moral and political will to control crime in the country before the criminals gain the upper hand and become more vicious.

Dr M.A. NAIR,
Bandar Muadzam Shah, Pahang.

Source: The Star – January 11, 2008