THE EDITOR, Sir:
I READ with interest a letter from a Leslie Bennett published in The Gleaner earlier this month under the title 'Dialogue on crime'. I am a Jamaican in the first year of a dual master's degree programme in Child Development and Clinical Social Work, studying in New York. The question raised by the writer is the primary motivation and focus for my studies: What is "the reason why young babies, born in Jamaica with so much innocence, eventually grow up to become such cruel beasts as to commit the dastardly deeds we hear of from day to day?"
The writer commented that babies born in upper middle-class communities do not normally trod the paths that lead to these obvious manifestations of sociopathology. I am not convinced that babies born in 'any' Jamaican community, not only the Norbrooks and Cherry Gardens of our nation, 'normally' tread these paths. Investigative inquiry is also needed, therefore, into what prevents so many other young men (and women), who have grown up in the same environmental circumstances, from taking the aberrant path, the accounts of which fill our nation's newsprint and police log books? In other words, how is resilience nurtured?
RELATIONSHIPS
Studies suggest that young people raised in negative environments and who find security in parent-child or other relationships, are less inclined to manifest violence and aggression. When young people are able to internalise a sense of self-worth, significance and purposeful future, their view of the world is a more optimistic one that directs them toward creative, positive and meaningful contribution to that world. I have personally witnessed many young lives turned around from detrimental paths by affirmation of divine and human worth and purpose. The question is what are we as a society doing that deprives so many of our young people of these assets, and what can we do that will facilitate said qualities in more of them?
BRUTAL BROTHERS
Finally, although cursory observations seem to indicate that our Norbrook and Cherry Gardens youth do not generally tread the path of their more apparently brutal brothers, that does not preclude the possibility of similar personality traits among them. Many uptown youth hold up the don, the 'gangsta' and the gunman as heroes and role models. They speak of their ghetto 'links' and have no hesitation in threatening to use those links to 'deal wid a man case'. Many middle class youth 'par' with some of the same dog-hearted young criminals that may have been responsible for the dastardly acts we have recently witnessed. It is frightening to think of what can result from the collusion of money, status and power with a sociopathic criminal action force. Indeed, to what extent are we already witnessing such a collusion?
Let's not fool ourselves. Unless our scholars, clinicians, policymakers and political representatives, seriously seek answers to these questions and implement meaningful action, the future of our nation is dire. Our local universities need to conduct far more research that addresses not only the social and sociological needs of the nation, but also the economic, technological and scientific ones. I plan to use my research opportunities to that very end, and hope on return from my course of study, to make a contribution to ameliorating this situation. Let us each turn our talents to addressing this phenomenon, for the sake of Jamaica, land we love.
I am, etc.,
MARIE A. REYNOLDS
openearja@yahoo.com
Briarwood, NY
Via Go-Jamaica
