THE EDITOR: As we continue to see murder, robbery and gun violence on the rise, it's easy to play the blame game.

Chief among those being blamed are the Prime Minister, his Minister of National Security, the acting police commissioner and the TTPS. I am not here to defend any one of these gentlemen. I would like to suggest that citizens also play a critical role in crime prevention and detection.

I am certain that much research has been conducted and would show a correlation with the loss of the capacity of fathers and mothers to be responsible in caring for their children. This loss of love and guidance at the levels of marriage and family has broad social consequences for children and the wider community.

Empirical evidence shows too many young men and women from broken families tend to have a much weaker sense of connection with their neighbourhood and are prone to exploit its members to satisfy their unmet needs or desires.

This contributes to a loss of a sense of community and to the disintegration of neighbourhoods into social chaos and violent crime. The propensity to commit crime develops in stages associated with major psychological and sociological factors.

The relationship between parents, not just the relationship between mother and child, has a powerful effect on very young children. Children react to quarrelling parents by disobeying, crying, hitting other children, and in general being much more antisocial than their peers.

Significantly, quarrelling or abusive parents generally do not vent their anger equally on their children. Such parents tend to vent their anger on their more difficult children. This parental hostility and physical and emotional abuse can shape future delinquents.

Prof David P Farrington's Cambridge University study found a high correlation between school adjustment problems and later delinquency.

On another point, citizens can help stop crime by removing opportunities for criminals and promptly reporting any suspicious activities to the police. Crime prevention measures practised regularly will help to reduce crime and thus make a safer community.

While I agree our leaders and the TTPS have a responsibility to keep the nation safe, they need all of our support to get this done.

NIGEL SEENATHSINGH

San Fernando

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