VI MOST WANTED on TV

We can hope and keep our fingers crossed that someone will do something about this issue, but, unfortunately, it may take more than just cracking down on these crooks. IMHO, I think the way to tackle this problem is by changing the upbringing of the children. I am always surprised to see people born and raised on this island turn to crime as a way of life, and our culture just accpets it. Anybody have any ideas on a way to curb this?

Marty,

Seriously. What are you doing? If I didn't know better, I'd think that your post assumes:

1. That the people involved in the rash of robberies were from St. Thomas.

2. That "people born and raised on this island turn to crime as a way of life".

Please tell me I am misreading this, and you are not assuming and generalizing so grossly.

LR

Loyal Reader:

Yes, I think you took it incorrectly. There have been more robberies here on STT of late (check the paper). And, yes, some people born here are crooks (as are people born everywhere). But, what I was trying to say is that I believe that criminals learn criminal behavior and tactics from other criminals, and I think that if the parents instill a true sense of what being a "good human being" is during the child's upbringing, then that child will know the difference between right and wrong and will then not turn to a life of crime. Same thing with littering. If the parents teach the child how wrong it is, then the child won't do it, and then the trash goes where it should. If we look at, say, Japan, we see very little crime and very little littering, etc. Why? Because of the values learned by children from their parents. If we could teach all of our children these types of things, then crime/pollution/etc. would slowly phase out of our culture. Does that help? Another way of looking at it would be to say that if our police force culled all of the criminals out of the general population, then new criminals would turn up and replace them, due to our society not being as strict about crime as it could be and allowing it to happen. I am neither a criminal, nor a litterer. Why? I think it is because of the way my parents brought me up. You will never see me toss trash out the window of my car...or a cigarette butt...nor will I ever be arrested for robbing someone. I feel that it is wrong, and I am not shy about pointing out someone's err if they do so in my presence. Sometimes I get a dirty look or a bad word or two in return, but mostly people will pick up whatever they tossed, as most people inherently know the difference between right and wrong. Obviously there are some that don't and they think it is OK to prey upon others or to litter our precious planet. If we start with the children, then the problems will be minimized through natural atrician.

So, in a nutshell, I was only suggesting that better parenting skills may be one way to reduce crime. Does anyone have any other ideas?

Marty,

Have you ever stopped to think before you type? You posts are very prejudice and hurtful. What we can do on this island is to help the police put the criminals behind bars. That is my straight forward opinion.

Teresa

May be Marty, but the IMMEDIATE ISSUE is to do something pro-active about crime happening RIGHT NOW - as in CATCH THE BAD GUYS.

In posting originally I was applauding the Marshalls service for beginning the VI"S Most Wanted program. Airing the faces of those captured on tape and providing a secure tip line with REWARDS, may be the way to shake loose some of the obviously known and recognized folks..........from St.Thomas or elsewhere.

We need to stop what's happening right now.

For future, absolutely all kids, here and in the states and family interaction or lack thereof are major issues contriubting to the youth culture as it exists today.

Marty is right that Parents play a vital role in raising kids to be productive citizens. For most of us the idea of committing a crime is completely foreign to us because we were raised with values, ethics and were taught to respect the law and people in general. Demographics show us that kids most likely to commit a crime come from a broken family with no father present. There is no fear of the law on St. Thomas as most of these folks are not caught and if caught are not penalized severly. The police should of had that video on T.V. weeks ago and the pictures of those faces plastered all over the island with rewards for information. We live on a 13 mile long island and the fact the police cannot catch criminals is a pretty sad reflection on the state of affairs of the police department. Tourist like it or not read our newspaper and the paper loves to highlight stories of crime. We know our island is much safer then most places ie,, Jamaica who just crossed the 164 murder threshold and is on pace to eclipse their record of murders from last year but people will always take crime into consideration when selecting their travel destination.

Marty and David,

While I am guessing that you two have good intentions writing these posts, I have to say that I do not appreciate the implications of who is to blame for criminal behavior. I know many people who come from one parent homes, grew up with grandparents, etc that never turned to a life of crime. I myself was raising two children with a father barely there. What leads to crime is a lot of things not JUST parenting. A lot of it has to do with low income, depression, desperation, envy, lack of consequences (yes the police do need to do more on this island), and lack of good role models - to name a few things. Instead of harping on other people's parenting skills (of which you can do nothing about and shouldn't), turn your good intentions into pushing the government to building a better police department, better facilities for juvenile delinquents, getting to know more people and meeting neighbors, becoming a Big Brother or role model yourself for someone who lacks a friend or parent. In doing this we are building a society that cares and wants to protect.

Teresa

Not harping just stating facts. If you do a simple google search on criminal demographics you can read for yourself. I know plenty of kids who have come from single family homes and turned out great but that doesent change the fact it is an at risk group. Absentee parents have the same difficulties. When latch key kids come home and have their friends and the current media culture to learn from, a lot dont turn out so bad. I have been a big brother and volunteered in the inner city of D.C. so I have seen the problem up close and personal. Washington D.C. actually reminds me of the U.S.V.I. in a lot of ways. You have a govt that is not held accountable and a police force out of touch with the community. The District appointed a financial oversight committee to help them and the police force was investigated for years. What was once the murder capital of the United States has improved but has a long way to go. The U.S.V.I. is in an infancy state of self government so there are bound to be speed bumps with the govt and the police. When the community gets fed up you will finally see action taken.

This will be my last post on this subject, as I don't think people reading this thread are quite getting what I mean. All I was saying, is that, in addition to the police cracking down on the criminals, which we ALL know is desperately needed everywhere on the planet, I think that the parents raising their children could do a better job of instilling a sense of values and ethics in their children. Ex - Back in the fifties, the good ole U.S. of A. didn't have nearly the crime rate that it does today. Why? Because of the values of it's citizens at the time. Unfortunately, these values have degraded over time, resulting in a higher crime rate. If all parents would learn how to instill that same sense of values in their children today (whether it be taught to them by their parents, or if they learned it in a class), then this would translate into lower crime statistics in the future. Is that clearer? Sheesh! All I was doing was suggesting a need for better parenting (everywhere, not just here) and it turns into this

And I don't need to read sarcastic posts in reply to mine. So, I guess my best bet is to reduce the amount of replying that I do. Unfortunately, the myriad people who have been better informed because of my posts in the past will be the last to enjoy them.

Thanks alot Teresa and Loyal Reader (yes, that was meant to be sarcastic).

Goodness, I really think you have over-reacted to Marty's post. I would have thought that by now you would know him well enough to give him the benefit of the doubt, or at least ask him to further explain himself.

Seems like everyone is getting soooo touchy, lately. Must be something in the water down there.

Maybe the warmth of the water has something to do with a lot of the angst frothing on the forum this past week. A few people really seem to have got their knickers in a twist over certain issues. But it makes for some interesting reading - I guess!

Anyway, one of the major deficits here is in education, especially when coupled with BAD one-parent households. Of course there are many one-parent households who manage to raise their children properly and nobody is disputing that. However, the appalling lack of proper education in SOME areas of SOME of the schools in the public school system COUPLED with SOME of the bad parenting, certainly contributes to the crime problems here.

Ah, having said that, let the hackles rise!

But, seriously, we have a Governor who used to be Commissioner of Education and did a lousy job...

David,

Thank you for your last post on this subject. I understand the facts, but dislike when people only focus on the parenting part of the situation. Telling people how to parent won't change the situation (except to have a mob of angry mothers on your back 🙂 ). Focusing on the overall problem and working on what we can control or change in our lives and our neighbors lives is time better spent. I too have found a many similarities between D.C. and the V.I. It is strange. Crime, education, tourists, high cost of living... all relate. I also understand the infancy of government here. It is hard not to want the government to act like many stateside areas. I am working on my patience...:)

STT Resident,

I think you said what I meant to say. It is a combination of factors.

Marty,

I have to ask...Are you a parent?

Teresa