| Last year, as a criminal law student, I discovered that | | | | On the other hand, many countries have used gun |
| crime rates depend very much on the social structure | | | | control as a means of reducing crime. The fact is, this |
| of a country. According to compilations in Jamaica | | | | does not work and the government should seriously |
| you usually have lower crime rates in rural, | | | | consider the repercussions before initiating this |
| prosperous areas as opposed to the poorer, more | | | | method. Chicago has a handgun ban and as of this |
| violent districts of bigger towns. Efforts to reduce | | | | past summer the murder rate was 18% higher than |
| these rates aim at the root of these problems | | | | last year. In Britain use of handguns to commit crimes |
| (poverty, poor schooling, joblessness), curing just the | | | | rose 40% two years following the total ban on guns. |
| effects get only short term results. This means that | | | | It would seem that criminals prefer that their victims |
| sooner of later, the Jamaican government will need | | | | be unarmed and unable to resist. The old saying is |
| to take the economic incentives out of crime. | | | | true. "When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will |
| Remove the excuses -- addiction, poor upbringing, | | | | have guns". |
| discrimination. Hold individuals responsible for crimes --- | | | | Finally, statistical, economic, and operations Research |
| do not excuse criminals because they belong to a | | | | Studies have shown that criminals are "economically |
| group that are most frequently victimized. | | | | rational', i.e. they seek the best payoff for the least |
| Focus on other means of crime deterrence such as | | | | cost(risk of getting caught and doing time). In order |
| the induction of more police officers on the streets. | | | | to ameliorate this, many politicians have suggested |
| They need to get into the more impetuous | | | | prolonged prison sentences for even less serious |
| communities and establish a strong street presence. | | | | crimes. I disagree with this notion, Prisons are |
| Make it OK for people to talk to law enforcement | | | | overcrowded and since a very high percentage of |
| without fear or any reservations. Also there are | | | | persons are incarcerated as a result of non-violent |
| other things that police can do to depreciate crime | | | | drug crimes, we may want to reconsider putting |
| such as increased patrols of high crime areas; | | | | people in prison for victimless crimes. |
| however this takes money and manpower that | | | | They need to try harder rehabilitating criminals. The |
| some municipalities might not currently have. The | | | | best way to prevent crime is to get more anti-drug |
| police street presence is still very imperative though. | | | | programs; in other words, make it easier for people |
| This is done in the United Kingdom and polls have | | | | to get off their drug habits. A couple of months in |
| shown that people feel much safer in volatile areas | | | | rehab is a lot cheaper than 10 years in prison. |
| when the police officers are around. | | | | |