WE NOTE Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller's commitment in the House on Tuesday to examine the report from the Trevor MacMillan-led Special Task Force on Crime which was sent to her by Opposition Leader Bruce Golding.
We believe that this approach should further serve to strengthen the resolve to find greater consensus in fighting crime.
This task force report is being presented to the public for discussion at the same time that a National Security Strategy Green Paper is now before Parliament and open to public discussion.
At the same time, we are eagerly awaiting the arrest of major gang leaders which Operation Kingfish has promised. Already a number of gang bosses/dons/area leaders have been locked away based on the investigative work involving the use of hi-tech evidence - more of which we want to see being put to use by the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
Increasing reliance on technology-based evidence, like DNA evidence and the tracking of cellphone calls, both of which have figured prominently in a recent murder conviction of an area leader, will reduce the need for witnesses with all the attendant risks. Among the proposed legislation which should be fast-tracked to help the anti-crime efforts is the Proceeds of Crime Bill. This is aimed at putting the onus on criminal suspects to prove the legality of the acquisition of their assets which may have been seized by the authorities during investigations.
We note that just under three weeks ago, the police reported that they were getting ready to apprehend eight reputed crime bosses who, it is believed, are responsible for much of the crime across the country. Operation Kingfish was said to be processing carefully gathered intelligence and preparing case files aimed at not only arresting major crime players but dismantling the criminal networks which they lead. It is imperative that the police follow up their assurances with arrests lest they undermine the confidence being reposed in them by the public.
As has been successfully done in other jurisdictions, if gang leaders cannot be put behind bars for their major crimes like murder, then they should be relentlessly pursued and imprisoned on lesser offences committed in association with their criminal empires.
At the same time that Kingfish is moving in on gangs, the Ministry of National Security is conducting a study to assess the impact of deportees on the crime situation in the country. The country has been flooded with deportees, several of whom have figured prominently in crimes and gang leadership here. And more are coming.
By the end of June, the Government should be in possession of hard data to replace intuitive views and speculation about the role of deportees in the crime wave here. It is this kind of hard-nosed, data-driven approach to crime reduction, with a total disregard for any affiliations which criminals may have, that will yield the results for which a crime-weary nation is crying out.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
