Colin A. Gyles, Contributor

Much has been said concerning the need to employ a zero-tolerance approach in the fight against crime. On the surface, this seems reasonable as it conveys the message that no crime should be tolerated. Zero-tolerance may be likened to a broad-based effort to cure a patient of all illnesses. What do we do, however, when a generally ill patient has received a large wound and is bleeding profusely? To such may be likened the situation of crime in Jamaica, with murders being like the large bleeding wound.

Crime situation

Repeatedly, various reports are compiled and various strategies are articulated as to how the crime situation may be solved. Almost invariably, a number of measures are enunciated, many of which are laudable. However, there is hardly a targeted strategy to reduce murders. Murders seem to be lumped with other crime as though all crime were of equal significance. Not surprisingly, murderers are now committing their heinous acts in broad daylight, in the presence of large on-looking crowds in town squares, even a few chains from a police station and just casually walking away, as though they had just spat on the street.

Ultimate crime

It is my view that murder is the ultimate crime against an indivi-dual. Further, if major offences are treated in a similar manner to minor offences, then people will commit major offences just as easily as they commit minor offences. It is instructive that statistics show that in the 1960s, the number of murders was low and the number of reported cases of larceny was high. Simultaneously, the police cleared-up rate for murder was high and the cleared-up rate for larceny was low. But today, it is the reverse. The number of reported cases of larceny is relatively low while the number of murders is high and the cleared-up rate for larceny is high, while the cleared-up rate for murder is low. Is it possible that no greater effort is being made to capture murderers than to capture thieves? Is it also possible that persons who perhaps might have contained themselves with the commission of the lesser offence are finding it hardly any more risky to commit the ultimate offence?

There is a need for a targeted offensive against murder. A clear strategy of rapid response and massive redeployment of police personnel needs to be adopted in a relentless pursuit of murderers. The citizenry needs to be co-opted in this effort as partners with the police to make quick telephone calls so that police can be present in large numbers on and around any murder scene or within range of any shooting incident within a few minutes the most, and linking other police personnel for lookout assistance on the outposts.

Catching the perpetrator

We must strike the iron while it is hot and improve our chances of catching the perpetrator while the evidence is fresh and the perpetrator is not far away from the scene. We must not let up until the murderer is caught and within short order. The would-be murderer must be convinced that almost as sure as night follows day, he will be caught. We can do it. We can make Jamaica a safer place.

There have, at times, been specific instances of murder that were regarded as notable and an all-out manhunt was launched to capture the murderer. Almost invariably, the murderer was caught. This should be the modus operandi in response to all murders. Reduce the deployment of personnel and resources assigned to dealing with the lesser offences and focus attention on stemming the murder crisis by catching every murderer, until the crisis is brought under control; as the great Cecil Gyles used to say, "First things first".