This excellent book by Dacia Leslie is timely given Jamaica’s current crime
situation. It is a book that is a must-read by policymakers, advocates,
academicians, students and anybody interested in understanding the
crime situation in Jamaica, the issue of recidivism and the rehabilitation
of ex-inmates.
As of May 26, 2018, there have been 556 murders in Jamaica (Jamaica
Gleaner, May 31, 2018). A state of emergency still exists in the nation’s
second capital, and the country is reeling over the recent murders of two
young girls who were also sexually assaulted. Every government has committed
to eradicating violence against women and children and solving
the nation’s major crime problem.
Crime negatively impacts on all aspects of the country’s development.
A 2005 study conducted by the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and
Economic Studies (SALISES) found that the economy, personal movement,
recreation, work and social interaction were all negatively affected
by the high levels of crime in Jamaica.