The Future of Crime and Security in Trinidad and Tobago

• Author: Randy Seepersad/Dianne Williams
• Profession: Criminologist in the Department of Behavioural Sciences at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago/Coordinator of the Unit for Social Problems Analysis and Policy Development (USPAP)
• Pages: 154-172

The preceding chapters examined various aspects of citizen security

in Trinidad and Tobago. Chapter 1 focused on the criminal justice system

with coverage of each of the three arms; the police, the courts and

corrections. Chapter 2 focused on criminal victimization and examined

both oficial crime data as well as victimization survey data Domestic

violence which represents a speciic case of victimization of a vulnerable

group in Trinidad and Tobago, was also examined in chapter 2. Chapter

3 focused on juvenile justice and examined the extent to which youths in

Trinidad and Tobago were delinquent and committed acts of violence.

This chapter also examined relevant theorizing on youth violence. Chapter

4 assessed the issue of criminal gangs in Trinidad and Tobago with an

examination of the extent to which gangs are responsible for violent

crime. This chapter also provided a discussion of the consequences of

the presence of gangs and offered strategies for reducing gang violence.

Chapter 5 offered an empirical basis upon which to design intervention

strategies, and examined the risk factors which encourage crime and

violence. Chapter 6 looked at the responses of the population and state

to insecurity and argued that, if political decisions are based solely on

popular sentiment, this could lead to ineffective crime policies. Chapter

6 also argued that, while the opinion of the population is important, it

must be understood within the context of the indings of theoretical and

empirical work in criminology. Chapter 7 assesses the nature and extent

of the problem, drawing on linkages to human development, and offers

recommendations for dealing with crime and insecurity in Trinidad and

Tobago.

The criminal justice system in Trinidad and Tobago is responsible for

dealing with issues of crime and security. Proactive (preventative) as

well as reactive (after the crime has occurred) measures are required if

the nation is to be successful in its ight against crime With the exception

of general deterrence strategies, it could be argued that much of what is

done by ‘traditional’ criminal justice systems is reactive. A progressive

criminal justice system is one which extends its focus to include

preventative measures. This is not to say that it is expected that the

The Future of Crime and

Security in Trinidad and Tobago

155The Future of Crime and Security

criminal justice system will have all the resources or personnel necessary

to engage in preventative crime control through all or most of the major

institutions in Trinidad and Tobago. Rather, there should be a more

purposeful and deliberate integration of criminology and criminal justice

ideas and strategies in other institutions, such that these institutions

have planned strategies to aid in the ight against crime So for example

while the education system in Trinidad and Tobago may serve a crime

reduction function, this occurs as a by-product of its functioning, rather

than as a result of a deliberate strategy. Programmes could be developed

for schools which are aimed at developing social skills, civic mindedness,

self-control, self-esteem, racial and religious tolerance, the ability to defer

gratiication moral values and other such factors which may help in the

development of law abiding youths and young adults.

The use of the education system is but one example. Such ideas could be

applied to other institutions of social control such as the community and

family. In the United Kingdom (UK), the Crime and Disorder Act (1998)

offers a useful template of how legislation may be used to integrate the

functioning of a range of governmental and non-governmental agencies

where crime control is the issue. Among other things, this Act affords the

opportunity for each local authority in England and Wales to formulate

and implement strategies to reduce crime and disorder in their area. The

Act also requires each local authority to work with the police authority,

probation authority, health authority, social landlords, volunteers, and

local residents and businesses. A system has been put in place to ensure

that there is communication and coordination among the various entities

and that there is a sharing of expertise in moving forward with initiatives

which are derived from speciied goals as they relate to the reduction of

crime and insecurity.

While the above argues for a re-conceptualization of the functioning

of the criminal justice system in Trinidad and Tobago, it is also important

to strengthen the law enforcement function of this system Ineficiencies

and problems within the police service, judiciary, and prisons can reduce

the effectiveness of the criminal justice system with regard to controlling

crime. A major problem facing the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service

TTPS for example is a lack of public conidence Primary data gathered

for this study show that, for a range of performance areas, approximately

60 per cent of the population feel that the police perform poorly or very

poorly. It is misleading to think that public opinion is unimportant for the

functioning of the police service as the public functions as a system of

surveillance for the police and, where the public fails to report incidents of