Crime rates in some Caribbean nations 'among world's highest'

A study by the Inter-American Development Bank shows that a number of Caribbean countries have some of the world’s highest crime rates.

This report is at odds with the impression of a peaceful Caribbean tourist magnet.

The results are based on a survey of 3,000 crime victims in The Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica and Surinam.

The Inter-American Development Bank is the largest source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean

And While the non-violent crime rate is low, violent crime rates “are among the highest in the world”, the report notes.

“Nearly one in three said they had lost someone to violence. Guns are used about twice as often in robbery and three times as often in assault in the Caribbean as compared with the global average.

The average rate “of victimisation by assault and threat (6.8%) is higher than in any other region, including Latin America (4.7%)” or Africa (5.2%).

The report states that almost half of all crimes go unreported to the police.

The victims are mainly 18 to 25 year-olds who live in poor neighbourhoods far from the tourist resorts.

‘Darker side’

The report nots that the Caribbean region “is rightfully known for its beauty, warmth, culture, music and, yes, beckoning environment”, said Therese Turner-Jones, who heads the bank’s Caribbean Department.

“But the darker side of having some of the world’s highest violent crime rates remains a cause for concern.”

One area of special concern is violence against women and children.

“We found that tolerance of violence against women and children is higher than comparable regions,” said Heather Sutton, the report’s lead researcher.

According to the study, one out of three adults approve beating a woman if she is unfaithful, a rate higher than in the United States or Latin America.

“The literature shows that high tolerance is predictive of high levels of actual violence. This is one important risk factor that perpetuates the cycle of violence and delinquency,” the report said.