What do you think is best to reduce crime?
Tonight’s question is: What do you think is best to reduce crime; Draconian Legislation, Social Programs or the Death Penalty? Send your comments and responses using your SMART phones to 8686 or post your vote on our e-poll at channel5belize.com. You can also send an email with your comments to questions@channel5belize.com.
The Death Penalty.The government needs to put some fear into these criminals and would be criminals.
I don’t believe there is a “single magic bullet” answer to crime. The vast majority of people do not kill, steal, or hurt other people; a small percentage of human vermin commits most of the crime and creates social damage out of all proportion to their small number. Given that, the problem is not so large, and safety can be largely restored by adopting and carrying out a few simple steps in a determined way.
In the short run, the Jewel will be safer if about 100 career criminals are exterminated, the notorious ones who commit or direct much of the killing and violence. So killing the hard-core criminals is the logical first step. The death penalty is fine, but with our feeble criminal justice system, discreet deaths during no-nonsense arrests may be acceptable.
Another important step that has been proved to greatly reduce crime in the States is a “three strikes” law. A third conviction of a serious crime results in life in prison. Repeat offenders simply end up taking themselves off the streets by earning that fateful third strike.
Socially the biggest problem is the disintegration of the family unit, girls getting pregnant by a series of different men, and having babies who are raised without fathers. That is the seed of a vicious cycle of poverty, poor health, lack of education, and the other terrible things that are destroying so many young Belizeans today. Ideally, children need to be “scared straight” by learning how they can choose between making bad choices and creating hopelessness in their lives, or making positive choices and building as good a life as they wish honestly, which is the only secure foundation for life. Life is a journey, and whether we reach a good destination depends almost entirely on the choices we make along the way, Except for politicians, very few criminals live long enough to get much enjoyment out of their ill-gotten gains, so their lives are futile and tragic. This moral message is important, and probably can only come from stable family members and churches.
Jobs; employment.
When one is actively employed they are less likely to take out their anger for their ‘position’ on their neighbors.
DEATH PENALTY!!! All we have to do is kill the first one then the rest will think 2 times before killing.
Death Penality!! or better yet a Death Squad to clean the streets!!!!
The death penalty needs to be implemented! There are criminals committing heinous crimes and should be punished for it. Belize needs to set an example or things will only get worse
i agree with verymad. death penalty all we need is the first example and i bet this guys are going to think twice before they murder or rob someone i dont think jobs is the problem the problem is that this people are lazy. i have seen it over and over. they sit on corners wait for someone they can rob. so they can eat and smoke weed. but yet our goverment gives them money. i honestly think that the problem is our leaders starts from the very top.
Bringing back the Death Penalty would be good but if we implement that tomorrow how long will that take to come into effect?
On average a murder trial lasts about 3 years.
I believe we need a combination of draconian legislation where known criminals are dealth with to the fullest extent of the laws, along with social programs for the up and coming at risk youths (sporting activities being the main one) and to cream it off the death penalty.
If you would listen to how these thugs talk they will make it know clear – “i wa kill yo and sit down fi 2½ years”
Also prison needs to be a place where people fear. Time and time again on the news we hear criminals asking to go to jail to take a “break” that should stop immediately.
As you get to the prison we need to implement “HARD TIME” and work those suckers 12 hours a day if not sit them in the hole for their time or have them sit in the boiling sun all day.
I guarantee there would be a drastic change in the mentality of these criminals!
The number one proven way to lower crime anywhere in the world is simply by growing the economy. When citizens have opportunities available for them to utilize, and more importantly can afford to utilize those opportunities, then those citizens are far less inclined to engage in illegal activities and crime is lowered dramatically. However, this Government seems to be completely lost in the woods when it comes to growing the economy! Their lack of any kind of vision and forward thinking is evident in the drunken lurching from one crisis to another! There is no cohesive well thought out plan to grow the economy, stave off crime, and create opportunities for citizens. They are vision-less and impotently unable to act in the role of proactive administrators, but rather are arrogant and comfortable in their reactive role of crisis managers! ….all to the detriment of Belize and the “normal” citizenry!
Give Real Belizeans first pereference to everything,, to betta define Belize and Belizeans,, then its all grass roots upliftment..!
There are no quick and easy answers to this question re crime in Belize. Perhaps, the death penality could be a deterent to murder, however in my humble opinion, this will only cause many innocent indiviuals to receive the death penality when it is not warranted. Mostly namelss/faceless poor Belizeans. Employment and diligent effort to reform, educate our young people may help, however because of the blantant curruption at the top, coupled with drugs and organized effort to pay large sums of money to hit men/boys etc. It will be very difficult to even put a dent in criminal activities in the jewel. Furthermore we would have to curb the flow of guns/ammo into Belize from our neighbouring countries, Secondly, we may need to legalize the use of marijuana in order to cut down on the drugs/gangs related crimes. Thirdly, the idea of a kibutz like work farm in some very remote area for first time offenders and those who are remorseful and able to be reformed. Lastly, we would need to make a serious effort to reform and retrain our police officers couple with the revamping of the DP’s unit. These are only helpful hints for starters, in reality it will take strong moral leadership and an array of changes in the way the GOB conduct it’s business. In short, most of all there exisits a need for some major political reform/changes.
ur asking what we think,well I would hope u all start reading out comments no use we sying what’ve think an just bloggers reading it ok o put a segment in the news for this segment .death penalty
Corruption breeds poverty….poverty breeds to crime, fix the dammmm root of the situation & you’ll have the problem solved, end of story. And where the hell is John McCaffe, seems the media is already forgetting about this nutjob.
I beieve if the economy in Belize was better and people who wanted a job could get a job may help to reduce the numbers of robbery and deaths related to a crime for money or personal gain. There is very little social activity available in the country. If the kids had things to do, things to look forward to such as go carting, mini car racing, some form of outlet where they can just have fun.
Today all the kids see is the poverty and struggles their family endures and they are left with no hope. It is a lack of teaching the kids how to think beyound their situation and look at what they maybe able to change their situation, instead of just being born, suffer, and then die, there is so much more to life that these kids and the people of Belize are missing out on. How can the kids think upward when I see how some teachers go to school. I saw a teacher in Hattieville day after day going to school with the hem of her uniform hanging, she looked so unkept, how can she encourage the students to be better when she looks so awful.
There will always be that element of society that no matter what is available to them, if they have a criminal mind, they will be criminals no matter what. The laws needs to be revisited and revised to meet todays need. Time has changed, the crimes are different, we cannot manage todays crimes with yesterdays laws, but the government has fallen asleep on this law revision issue.
The loss of morality is also a corrosive problem in the country. In any society where morality is put on the back burner horrible things happens. Our children have lost their innocence, there has to be a way to get that back. I don’t hear the government championing any plans for future restoration of this beautiful country. I shall continue in prayer for my country, readers please join me, and pray for God’s restoration of Belize.
Wow! Every single comment has merit! I think we all agree that the Jewel is in a crisis of crime, and we need hard steps taken NOW to try to find our way back to a secure nation.
We used to have a Minister of National Security, but I have the impression he died some time ago and hasn’t been replaced. I think we need a new one again today.
The irony is telling the Government to fix what they caused…..
First get barrow out of gov then d death penalty
Parent should have better parenting skills to change mindset to have love and respect for themselves and others. They should create leaders and develop less materialistic children. There should be better role models from persons in authority especially the government, parent, teachers, pastors, mentors and coaches. The government must have less public corruption so that it is obvious and felt in the society, not just words. The government must make improvements in health, education, job availability and accessibility, and availability of more positive social activities in the society. The government should also implement strict measures for nationality status.
I am not from Belize but my wife is, we live in Louisiana in the U.S. now there is no one way to fix the problem that is growning more and more in Belize, one thing that has to happen is getting Jobs in Belize you can not put all the blame on the Gov. some of the blame has to fall on the Pepole of Belize by letting some of these things go on by turning a deaf ear to things Men in Belize need to step up to the plate and be Men i see to many women in Belize trying there best to do it all, now with that being said the other thing is those persons that kill and get caught need to be put to death the death penalty needs to be put in place are you can do like the middle east if you are caught stilling which ever hand you picked up with then you loose that hand by having it cut off if you are a peeping tom then yo loose that eye also have these men and woman that is i jail have them out working for there keep instead of just seating in jail have them in a chain gang cutting grass picking up paper that pepole just throw out on the sides of the road make there live a living Hell dont make it easy for them
Gov’t needs to upgrade their laws on crimes and implement it on the perpetrator no matter who the idiot is. There shouldbe no pardons because they are related to the Minister or support a Political party.
death penalty is the ultimate way to stop criminals, if you kill you get killed.
if you get caught thieving with or arm robbery your hand gets cut
if you rape you’re castrated
oh, please don’t let Mrs. Pitts no about it cause she’s gonna screw up our plans with so called human rights for criminals.
I’m impressed to the serious thought, and the variety of good thought, in these comments.
I vote for putting all of these people together in a room to work on this problem for a week or so, and then coming up with one basket of proposals for the people to vote into law.
We sure cannot expect our lazy, idiotic, and corrupt [you choose the word that applies to your area rep!] elected officials to do any kind of job.
PEOPLE POWER!
Look the police must know who the arseholes so why not take them all one night and feed them to the crocs. They are all a total waste of a skin and should be put down. Belize is a nice country and i hope to be living there soon, so come on police do us all a favour and clear away these bums we will all miss them but only because the streets will be safe to walk again.
Corruption breeds poverty….poverty breeds to crime I agree but John McAfee is just a witness and I understand his fear….
DEATH PENALTY changes NOTHING in some states like Texas you can even see just MORE murders than in FREE states.
At this stage the death penalty is Belize’s only solution, draconian laws and social programs have all been tried out and failing miserably. The next step for Belize to protect its law abiding citizens is to bring back the death penalty and enforce the laws of Belize.
okay guys, what will reduce crime? hmm idk what all the jumping around and playing card games will take you. but let’s not go any further.
like all ill issue the human race experience there is a root reason. i believe that as a society we are too nueclear to have a death penalty implimented. jobs and economy improvement won’t be the answer either. because foriegner come in belize and 2 generations later down their offsprings are doctors so forth.
what we as belize is to find means of living righteaous. confusious said it; without family structure and society that is made of many family will never succeed. our country is full of many individuals that dont live morally. either they don’t respect the maker whole heartedly or they are so immerse in self gain that now we even the families that are considered elite having criminals emerging from them.
so for parents that do not instill proper attitude in their children, the result is either dead son, or a whore as a daughter. point blank.
further more, look at some of our organization we lead on. some of them provide information via newspapers and for majority of the time they corrupt the mind of the learning class with vugar destructive music.
then some churches, the leaders are more interested in leading a life of impurity and money grabbing; so what can you expect. and i am talking the Catholic churches in specific. people that live a dirty life all week, go to church for one hour ( where they imagine to come out of it to do something other than that) and then while the service is over they negotiate for further self gained plans.
so moral development is needed, no d.p. no money can fix our country.