12/08/2024
Is Making A Jail The New Normal?
Several years ago one of the more popular calypsos was a sweet sounding ditty called, “We living in jail”. The theme of the 1990’s calypso then was that our homes were practically becoming prisons so surrounded were they with burglar proof gates, barbed wire and fences to the effect that we had literally become prisoners in our own homes.
Today, it appears that no amount of fences, gates or “security cameras” etc are sufficient to deter criminals from committing the most heinous crimes in full view of the the cameras or in broad daylight. Gone are the days when the fear of getting caught or worse yet being in jail served as a huge deterrent to the would be criminal. It appears that today, there is no social stigma attached to the criminal record. It no longer matters that we have a lengthy criminal record or have served time in prison. In fact there seems to be a badge of honor to have a criminal record, the more serious the crime, the greater the likelihood that the prisoner is held in high esteem.
There appears to be a societal breakdown in customs, norms and standards of what is acceptable behavior in our society.
It is said that a fish rots from its head and many of our so called leaders, be they our national as well as international leaders commit crimes in the full gaze and the glare of the television cameras and are not held accountable. How then is a young susceptible mind to internalize what is acceptable or good behavior when he/she sees that there no punishment for stealing, cheating or lying. He sees that such people are getting away with crimes and getting rich from criminal behavior.
Crime has become so socially acceptable and pervasive in our society that for many, it’s just another day in the park and if you’re caught, so what. Jail doesn’t matter as everyone has a criminal record. In the meantime, the rest of us continue living in jails for which we have our own keys.