Driving down crime
The Nassau Guardian Editorial
There are many parts to the overall strategy of driving down crime.
Aggressive policing is a must. It helps as well if police officers work within neighborhoods to build relationships so residents are more comfortable talking with police officers before and after a crime is committed.
It’s also important that special task forces go after particular crimes or zero in on high-crime areas.
There’s another part of the strategy that’s important, and that has to do with reducing the number of guns on our streets.
According to the 2010 crime statistics released last week, firearms were used in 69 of the 94 murders recorded. Firearms were also used in other serious crimes, such as armed robberies, housebreakings and burglaries, and in many cases, threats of death.
In 2010, 351 illegal firearms and 6,224 rounds of ammunition were seized. Those figures are up over the year before. In 2009, 312 illegal firearms and 4,388 rounds of ammunition were seized.
Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade has even agreed that it is time for the existing Firearms Unit to become an autonomous body given the high number of gun-related crimes.
In this space last week, The Nassau Guardian called for the government and judiciary to consider the establishment of a Gun Court to expedite the trials of suspects of gun-related crime.
Attorney General John Delaney announced on Friday that a Gun Court would be created in an attempt to ensure that those found with illegal firearms are quickly prosecuted. Gun charges will be isolated from other charges an individual may face.
The goal is to ensure that those found in possession of illegal firearms are incarcerated rather than being allowed to reoffend.
“The government is determined to make a full-frontal assault on firearm offenses,” said Delaney at Friday’s press conference, which was also attended by Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest and senior officers from the Royal Bahamas Police Force, and took place following a meeting with Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham on gun crime.
A special inter-agency task force has also been set up to address the issue of illegal firearm possession.
The government should be commended for establishing the special court and task force, but it should not stop there.
Our gun laws are reasonably strict when it comes to gun ownership and are among the toughest in the region. The maximum penalty for illicit possession of firearms is five years imprisonment and a fine of $10,000.
The Gun Court will help ensure that suspects are quickly prosecuted, but laws must also be beefed up to ensure that individuals found guilty of such crimes do not get off easy. Special legislation is also needed to punish those found in possession of illegal assault rifles and machine guns.
We have a lot of gun crime in this country.
But a Gun Court, if operated properly, should not only help get some of those guns off the streets, but also save lives and family trauma.
That’s an important part of any crime-fighting strategy.
1/31/2011
The Nassau Guardian Editorial
A political blog about Bahamian politics in The Bahamas, Bahamian Politicans - and the entire Bahamas political lot. Bahamian Blogger Dennis Dames keeps you updated on the political news and views throughout the islands of The Bahamas without fear or favor. Bahamian Politicians and the Bahamian Political Arena: Updates one Post at a time on Bahamas Politics and Bahamas Politicans; and their local, regional and international policies and perspectives.
Showing posts with label gun crimes Bahamas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gun crimes Bahamas. Show all posts
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
The Bahamas Government is determined to make a full frontal assault on firearm offences
New court to fight gun crime
By TANEKA THOMPSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
tthompson@tribunemedia.net
THE Government last night announced a "full frontal assault" on gun crime, promising to bring those charged with firearm offences to trial in a matter of weeks after they are arraigned.
As of Monday, one magistrate's court will be dedicated to hear firearms cases in an effort to expedite the trial process.
The policy is expected to reduce the number of persons accused of gun crimes out on bail as they await trial.
Officials expect this will lower the chance of these suspects becoming repeat offenders and creating havoc in the community.
"Government is determined to make a full frontal assault on firearm offences. We will do that by, in every case of firearm possession, isolating the gun possession offence and seeking to have the individual tried before court as quickly as possible," said Attorney General John Delaney at a press conference to announce the new policy.
"We believe that by isolating the possession offence we can have a very speedy trial, and that we can get the individual, if he's found guilty, convicted and put away so that he is not available to become a repeat offender, or is not on bail for a very long time and thereby has the potential to create other difficulties," added Mr Delaney, flanked by National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest, top officers of the RBPF and Director of Public Prosecutions Vinette Graham-Allen.
Of the 94 murders in the Bahamas last year, 66 of them were committed with the use of firearms, according to police. As it stands, a person accused of a gun crime is arraigned, then later granted bail and could roam free as they await trial for months, even years.
In many cases, those on bail have been accused of committing other violent crimes. Mr Delaney said the new initiative aims to reduce the gap between arraignment and trial, and curb repeat offences.
"The idea here is developing speed, getting to the point of trial and removing a convicted person off the street and reducing the opportunity for persons who would have been found guilty of an offence, removing the opportunity for them to be on bail and therefore the risk of further offences."
Mr Turnquest said: "When that firearm is recovered we'd like to see that case disposed of swiftly and that criminal death with."
Police prosecutors will handle these cases, said Mr Delaney as he expressed confidence in their expertise.
He said: "The summary trials for the firearm offences will be prosecuted by police prosecutors with the full resources, assistance they might require from the Department of Public Prosecutions within my office. There are good police prosecutors and they have expertise and there's no reason at this time to change that. But at any point of time if, as Attorney General, I thought it appropriate for somebody from the DPP to prosecute a particular offence, that can happen."
Four persons accused of gun crimes are expected to be arraigned in court on Monday. They were arrested under the police force's new operation, Rapid Strike.
January 29, 2011
tribune242
By TANEKA THOMPSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
tthompson@tribunemedia.net
THE Government last night announced a "full frontal assault" on gun crime, promising to bring those charged with firearm offences to trial in a matter of weeks after they are arraigned.
As of Monday, one magistrate's court will be dedicated to hear firearms cases in an effort to expedite the trial process.
The policy is expected to reduce the number of persons accused of gun crimes out on bail as they await trial.
Officials expect this will lower the chance of these suspects becoming repeat offenders and creating havoc in the community.
"Government is determined to make a full frontal assault on firearm offences. We will do that by, in every case of firearm possession, isolating the gun possession offence and seeking to have the individual tried before court as quickly as possible," said Attorney General John Delaney at a press conference to announce the new policy.
"We believe that by isolating the possession offence we can have a very speedy trial, and that we can get the individual, if he's found guilty, convicted and put away so that he is not available to become a repeat offender, or is not on bail for a very long time and thereby has the potential to create other difficulties," added Mr Delaney, flanked by National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest, top officers of the RBPF and Director of Public Prosecutions Vinette Graham-Allen.
Of the 94 murders in the Bahamas last year, 66 of them were committed with the use of firearms, according to police. As it stands, a person accused of a gun crime is arraigned, then later granted bail and could roam free as they await trial for months, even years.
In many cases, those on bail have been accused of committing other violent crimes. Mr Delaney said the new initiative aims to reduce the gap between arraignment and trial, and curb repeat offences.
"The idea here is developing speed, getting to the point of trial and removing a convicted person off the street and reducing the opportunity for persons who would have been found guilty of an offence, removing the opportunity for them to be on bail and therefore the risk of further offences."
Mr Turnquest said: "When that firearm is recovered we'd like to see that case disposed of swiftly and that criminal death with."
Police prosecutors will handle these cases, said Mr Delaney as he expressed confidence in their expertise.
He said: "The summary trials for the firearm offences will be prosecuted by police prosecutors with the full resources, assistance they might require from the Department of Public Prosecutions within my office. There are good police prosecutors and they have expertise and there's no reason at this time to change that. But at any point of time if, as Attorney General, I thought it appropriate for somebody from the DPP to prosecute a particular offence, that can happen."
Four persons accused of gun crimes are expected to be arraigned in court on Monday. They were arrested under the police force's new operation, Rapid Strike.
January 29, 2011
tribune242
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)