All of a sudden we found ourselves facing a bitter reality. It is a reality that until recently, we not only sidestepped but also denied it existed. Suddenly we have discovered that we, like any other society in the world, have a problem with crime and criminals. The problem is that by the time we woke up to the new reality, we found ourselves facing a genuine crisis rather than a theoretical problem. Crime has already taken its toll on the country’s social structure.
Slowly, our society has found itself on a course that saw it distancing itself from deep-rooted and long-cherished traditions and values. The notion that we are different from others because of our “special status” has been exposed. We are no different from anyone else in the world; there are good people among us and there are bad ones as well. The problem is not whether there are criminals among us — there are — but how we should focus on the causes, extent and nature of crime.
Not a day passes without our newspapers carrying articles about various crimes committed all over the country. In the past, our newspapers had no crime pages but sadly, they are now necessary and, regrettably, full of news. A flood of news greets the reader every day — murders, armed robberies, theft and embezzlement. Other crimes go unnoticed while some are simply not reported.
This calls for genuine action. We must understand what is happening in our society, why those things are happening and how we can best address the problems. A joint effort is needed, involving individuals and institutions, both government and civil. Serious matters call for a serious approach and serious action.
A beginning will be to start in the home and at school with the campaign expanded to involve every person in the Kingdom. Punishment is not the way to solve the problem. What is required is a serious effort to transform society.
