Crime Stop works but too many guns come into Jamaica

Philip Hamilton, Gleaner Writer

Executive Director of Crime Stop, Prudence Gentles, is reporting that the programme has made some significant breakthroughs in solving crime since the start of this year.

Gentles, who was speaking yesterday at a Gleaner Editors' Forum on the role of victims, families and communities in reducing crime and violence, said Crime Stop had received 447 calls at the end of April from persons providing information.

She said there had been 42 arrests since the start of the year, in addition to the organisation paying out over $619,000 in rewards for information.

"We have taken 14 illegal firearms off the streets and $6.5 million worth of narcotics, in addition to recovering $3.5 million worth of property since this year," Gentles said.

She said only recently, Crime Stop had launched a new half-hour television programme, 'CS311', on TVJ, to encourage Jamaicans to get more involved in solving crime.

Gun trade

While Crime Stop appeared to be doing what it could to fight the crime beast, other forum guests said stopping the trade of guns into the island could go even further.

Dr Elizabeth Ward, a representative of the Violence Prevention Alliance, said very little had been mentioned about the huge numbers of guns and bullets that had gone into Montego Bay.

Ward said this had not only resulted in more people having access to guns, but had also created a nation of rage.

According to her, the idea that the same guns were being used to commit multiple crimes all over the island was untrue.

"It is not the same gun reaching Montego Bay that is causing the mayhem," said Ward.

"If we did better ballistics and had better tracing between the private licensing authority and what is at the forensic lab, we wouldn't be discussing this thing - theoretically."

But Crime Stop's Gentles, while agreeing with Ward, added that it was not the little man in crime-plagued communities with the guns who was paying for them.

"We need to determine who's buying the guns and bringing them in as it costs plenty of money. That's what we need to find out," said Gentles.