AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Chat Area punishment

All the above postings, have given alot of insight on the situation, that is the first step in finding solutions.

I for one, commend the wonderful way in which all of you have expressed yourselves.

Not mentioning any names but some years ago we had police inspectors and sergeants that kept the island in good order by beating up the bad boys and chasing them off the island. Wish we had that system back...

It's hard for me to admit how much I agree with SIN and Jesse, but I do.

In the close societal environment that is SP, these things are probably best dealt with as they suggest.

You guys that live in SP know better than the rest of us who only visit so maybe you can make it work. If you can, I'm all for it. No punishment is too stiff for the lowlifes who think a life is worth less than a few thousand dollars.

But as I said, I think that as long as the money keeps increasing in SP, so will crime.

Money is not necessarily the cause as long as everyone is prospering. Crime is relatively low in prosperous places such as Monaco and Sweden and quality of life is high in these places. I think an influx of wealth into a poor area is likely to trigger crimes of envy. The is even more marked when there is poorly trained, ill financed and, perhaps, somewhat ineffective law enforcement (on every level). Combine this with a self interested and corrupt government and it really shouldn't come as a shock to anyone that there is an increase in crime on AC.

Allowing thugs to give the perps a kicking can help in the short term, but there is enough knowledge about this sort of 'protection' either from the Mafia in the USA or East End gangs in the UK to know that this sort of protection comes at a different price and those with the power to protect become similarly corrupt.

I realise that some people pay significant taxes in Belize, but perhaps, those who can afford it need to really think about how the community can protect itself (not just the rich on the island) and how it can help to offer those much needed choices to youth who are walking the precarious line between a useful and useless life. Most violent criminals are male between the ages of 16 and 24.

I met a guy in Belize and he had 14 siblings. Several of them were in jail and some for murder. The only reason he was not going down the same path is because he had been essentially adopted by some gringo hotel owners who were looking after him and giving him some hope. Without them, he could have easily followed the path of his brothers into hard drugs and serious crime. He did not have the benefit of an education, so what choices did he have?

Just more questions and more food for thought.

Maybe a big extravagant welfare program...it's worked out so well in the US.

More food for thought. Why was it when I first came to Belize, by some standards - a "rich gringo", I could leave all of my fishing tackle in the boat at night, leave my room unlocked, not have any concern about walking around town with money in my pocket, etc, etc? There existed the extreme gap between, what some consider, the haves and the have nots, but crime did not exist.
I do not accept the premise that crime is a result of economic desparity. I believe it is a result of the lacking of moralilty and the failure of society to condeme these actions.

PS: there was a similar dicussion to this on the board before and there was posted a great article written by an Belizean how he interpreted being rich and being poor. Maybe some of you with more skills than me could find that.

ByWarren,
"I do not accept the premise that crime is a result of economic desparity. I believe it is a result of the lacking of moralilty and the failure of society to condeme these actions."

WELL SAID!!!!!!!! The laws are in place. We didn't make the laws. We pay plenty in taxes, which should provide that the laws be followed. (I realize that the money doesn't come back to the police, yes, given..... I said it SHOULD.)

I just read the COC minutes from today's meeting. I must hand it to Mayoress Elsa and AR Junior. Their hands are tied in this matter for the most part.

I must also say that the words that Malcolm spoke were powerful. Hopefully, someone heard the plea for help.

Using the prescribed method I mentioned above... if a man commits rape, and is punished, I can almost guarantee he won't commit another. He will lose all interest in sex.

Not so - your honor - I know you know better. I'd be willing to bet you've seen those cases where a foreign object was used. Rape is not about sex.