Simple Crime Fighting Strategies for T&T

The police can't be everywhere at once therefore they can't stop all criminality. Once this premise is accepted the primary way the police / the government can safeguard public safety is by arresting and prosecuting perpetrators of reported crime, thereby limiting the criminal to a single violation rather than repeated violations of the public.

The current low detection and prosecution rate is the fundamental problem and consequently the police along with the judiciary are culpable. This core responsibility of the police service and judiciary to administer justice has been largely ignored and is directly contributing to unabated criminality.

To quickly counter the recent surge in murders the following policies should be implemented.  

1. Decriminalize marijuana

This will minimize the wastage of police resources on the policing of small time narcotics and allow the police to assign more officers to investigate and prosecute actual crimes, increase detection and conviction rates. 

This approach would also reduce marijuana premiums paid, thereby making the marijuana trade less attractive to traffickers and criminal gangs.

2. Offer Incentives to Police Officers and Prosecutors For Submitting Successfully Cases

To incentivize police officials to track down criminals a bonus system should be established where officers and units are rewarded for bringing forward successful criminal cases to the judiciary. 

Furthermore, to improve accountability of judges, magistrates, prosecutors and police officers, a prosecution scorecard should be publicly published showing key performance statistics. Accordingly, non-performing or corrupt officials would be eventually revealed and could ultimately be dismissed.