Criminal gangs are being fueled not only by social isolation and corrupt officials but also by certain state actions intended to curb crime that have backfired.
Fri,06 Sep 2024 07:29:00
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Criminal gangs are being fueled not only by social isolation and corrupt officials but also by certain state actions intended to curb crime that have backfired.
These findings come from a recent report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) titled *Caribbean Gangs: Drugs, Firearms and Gang Networks in Jamaica, St. Lucia, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago*.
The report highlighted that "Cure Violence" initiatives have shown some success when deployed, using a "public-health approach" to curb gang violence. Despite this, the report lamented that the approach has been underused in the Caribbean, even after being advocated at the Caricom crime conference held in Trinidad. It stated that while governments in the region have adopted "tough on crime" measures, these approaches have often led to unintended consequences.
The report noted that heavy-handed policing strategies, while leading to more arrests and drug seizures, have also eroded trust in the most affected communities. In some cases, these strategies have even resulted in extra-judicial violence. While there was no mention of extra-judicial killings in Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia has been placed under US Leahy Law sanctions for such actions by its police.
In Trinidad and Tobago, efforts to arrest gang leaders have expanded, but the report indicated that this has resulted in gang splintering and increased violence as rival factions vie for territory and control of drug trafficking routes. The Strategic Services Agency (SSA) predicted in 2021 that this fragmentation would lead to a new wave of violent crime.
Amidst this, gangs in Trinidad and Tobago have diversified into activities such as fraud, money laundering, robbery, human smuggling, and illegal gambling, and have gained access to high-caliber firearms from local, US, and Venezuelan sources.
The report criticized the discontinuation of certain peace-seeking initiatives by the government. It highlighted the success of the *Resolve Enmity, Articulate Solutions, Organise Neighbourhoods (REASON)* initiative, which reduced homicides by 45% in 16 neighborhoods between 2015 and 2017, and *Building Blocks*, which curbed shootouts from 2020-2022 before being discontinued.
While official programs aimed at reducing violence have had mixed results, the report emphasized that gangland truces and ceasefires tend to be temporary and often followed by increases in retaliatory violence. It also pointed out that gang traditions in countries like Trinidad and Tobago date back to the mid-20th century, with many originating as "self-help" groups in low-income areas with limited state presence.
The UNODC report also touched on the role of corrupt public officials in facilitating criminal activities. It stated that some Caribbean gangs have colluded with state actors and private businesses, sometimes gaining access to public contracts and avoiding prosecution in exchange for their services.
Additionally, the report noted that some well-connected gangs have been involved in the transshipment of drugs, guns, and trafficked individuals, with support from politicians, customs officials, and police officers. According to the report, while smaller players are often charged and incarcerated, those higher up in the hierarchy often escape prosecution due to compromised legal systems.
The report also shed light on the involvement of certain business and political elites in facilitating gang activities, particularly through trafficking and money laundering. This includes bribing customs officials to aid in the high-volume transshipment of cocaine from South America to North America and Europe.
In terms of arms trafficking, the report suggested that some gangs in Trinidad and Tobago acquire weapons from local police and defense forces. Additionally, the presence of Trinidadian and Jamaican gang members in Florida and New York facilitates access to firearms, which are then smuggled back into the Caribbean.
Street 91.9FM continues to follow this developing story.
These findings come from a recent report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) titled *Caribbean Gangs: Drugs, Firearms and Gang Networks in Jamaica, St. Lucia, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago*.
The report highlighted that "Cure Violence" initiatives have shown some success when deployed, using a "public-health approach" to curb gang violence. Despite this, the report lamented that the approach has been underused in the Caribbean, even after being advocated at the Caricom crime conference held in Trinidad. It stated that while governments in the region have adopted "tough on crime" measures, these approaches have often led to unintended consequences.
The report noted that heavy-handed policing strategies, while leading to more arrests and drug seizures, have also eroded trust in the most affected communities. In some cases, these strategies have even resulted in extra-judicial violence. While there was no mention of extra-judicial killings in Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia has been placed under US Leahy Law sanctions for such actions by its police.
In Trinidad and Tobago, efforts to arrest gang leaders have expanded, but the report indicated that this has resulted in gang splintering and increased violence as rival factions vie for territory and control of drug trafficking routes. The Strategic Services Agency (SSA) predicted in 2021 that this fragmentation would lead to a new wave of violent crime.
Amidst this, gangs in Trinidad and Tobago have diversified into activities such as fraud, money laundering, robbery, human smuggling, and illegal gambling, and have gained access to high-caliber firearms from local, US, and Venezuelan sources.
The report criticized the discontinuation of certain peace-seeking initiatives by the government. It highlighted the success of the *Resolve Enmity, Articulate Solutions, Organise Neighbourhoods (REASON)* initiative, which reduced homicides by 45% in 16 neighborhoods between 2015 and 2017, and *Building Blocks*, which curbed shootouts from 2020-2022 before being discontinued.
While official programs aimed at reducing violence have had mixed results, the report emphasized that gangland truces and ceasefires tend to be temporary and often followed by increases in retaliatory violence. It also pointed out that gang traditions in countries like Trinidad and Tobago date back to the mid-20th century, with many originating as "self-help" groups in low-income areas with limited state presence.
The UNODC report also touched on the role of corrupt public officials in facilitating criminal activities. It stated that some Caribbean gangs have colluded with state actors and private businesses, sometimes gaining access to public contracts and avoiding prosecution in exchange for their services.
Additionally, the report noted that some well-connected gangs have been involved in the transshipment of drugs, guns, and trafficked individuals, with support from politicians, customs officials, and police officers. According to the report, while smaller players are often charged and incarcerated, those higher up in the hierarchy often escape prosecution due to compromised legal systems.
The report also shed light on the involvement of certain business and political elites in facilitating gang activities, particularly through trafficking and money laundering. This includes bribing customs officials to aid in the high-volume transshipment of cocaine from South America to North America and Europe.
In terms of arms trafficking, the report suggested that some gangs in Trinidad and Tobago acquire weapons from local police and defense forces. Additionally, the presence of Trinidadian and Jamaican gang members in Florida and New York facilitates access to firearms, which are then smuggled back into the Caribbean.
Street 91.9FM continues to follow this developing story.