THE EDITOR: In her Newsday column of April 10 ('A resurrection from crime'), Debbie Jacob writes, 'It takes commitment and collaboration to solve our problems, and we begin by admitting that we are all responsible for change.'
I agree with this argument in the broad sense, although I think responsibility varies according to an individual's level of influence in the society.
Thus, the Prime Minister has more responsibility than National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds, who has more responsibility than Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher, who has more responsibility than Jacob.
As a writer with an upper-class network, Jacob's responsibility is to offer the best research-based solutions to crime and push these on policymakers. On this basis, I wonder if she would support the following measures:
* Changing regulations so more citizens can acquire legal firearms.
* Decriminalising marijuana and cocaine.
* Changing the minimum wage law to exclude 16- to 25-year-olds.
* Teaching a curriculum based on a student's IQ score.
Each of these policies would arguably reduce crime. Unfortunately, I have not seen any influential voices even raise these as topics worth debating. Including Jacob.
JENSEN RUSHTON
San Fernando
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