It has been discussed that the idea of distinguishing between the colours of criminal acts represents a major part of the problem when attempting to adequately deal with the criminal underworld which plagues societies the world over.
The idea speaks to possible ambiguity in classifications and the cited issues surrounding mutual exclusivity. But that is not what we are discussing today. Far from it.
The issue at hand is the real colour of crime, green. Money.
In times past, it could be argued, that criminal investigations were simpler because criminal activity was sufficiently basic, whatever that means. The rare incidents of murder whether through stabbing or chopping or shooting were all heinous crimes and traumatic to experience, or even to discuss back then. Gone are the days of one-off incidents.
What exists now is a system that metamorphosized into a beast that requires an absolute ‘all hands-on deck’ approach, even to make a significant dent in the ills that befalls us.
Undoubtedly crime has become big business and to treat with it, there must be a better, more targeted approach, to find some form of resolution. Ever heard about cutting the head of the snake?
It must be obvious by now that engagement in lucrative criminal activity requires major financial investment. The issue ineluctably is that we need to follow the money. There are those who are integrally involved in the drug trade and other criminal activity who do not get their hands dirty yet enjoy the benefits. The 18-year-old in the ‘ghetto’ can hardly provide for himself let alone fund his involvement in lucrative criminal endeavours. There are groups, gangs, networks that are set up and supported by individuals who have the knowledge, influence and/or finance. How do we know? Ask the police. Scrutinize the types of crimes and the way they are executed. Ask the man on the street. All will confirm that much of what happens here is very well coordinated.
A year ago, the Royal St. Lucia Police Force (RSLPF) brandished figures that explained that crime locally was down and trending in the right direction. What it did not account for was statistics on financial crimes and who were the individuals arrested, if any.
The average age of the ‘new’ criminal is trending downwards and can only be seen to mean that our young people are being lured into networks that promise a lifestyle now for now that would take years to build through legitimate means.
It is worrying that while we discuss St. Lucia as a country, the region is also suffering the same fate. What is worse is that the criminal networks are connected through regional territories. It is particularly for this reason, or at least one of the reasons, that regional governments have decided to work together on activity that transcends territorial boundaries.
Cutting the head of the snake may sound simple but truthfully, it isn’t. What is even more difficult to achieve is the ‘all-hands-on deck’ approach. We are asking, in some cases, the individuals who benefit from criminal activity, from the top and the bottom, to be an ally in a fight that seeks to destroy the very lifestyle that they crave.
At the rate criminal activity is seemingly expanding we may have already entered a ‘swim or sink’ scenario. We either make the hard decisions now or risk being engulfed in what may eventually be a criminal state – Haiti comes to mind.
We are obviously not there yet; we must, however, act with haste. The Police, the government, the courts must actively lead the fight and hopefully the citizenry will follow.