Can we slow down crime here?

Afgan

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We are all intelligent people here and we say correct things. Lets think how we can materialize them in action?
Rising crime is horrible.

Now there are only thirteen countries in World left that have higher rates than DR in murders, rapes and robberies (violent crimes). It was announced yesterday in Santo Domingo.

Lets discuss positevly what we can do in this situation!!!

http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/lo...g-trafficking-concerns-young-business-leaders

latest World Economic Forum 2009-2010 global competitiveness report corroborates.?

The business leader was referring to the report that cites crime and theft as the most problematic factors to doing business in the country, and which notes that of 133 nations, ?the Dominican Republic occupies positions 115 in organized crime and 120 in violence and crime,
 

cobraboy

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Not until the world economic situation settles down. I suspect crime will go up about everywhere economic conditions are bad, DR included.

Rats in a cage competing for scarce resources. Either the population goes down (not gonna happen) or resources increase.
 

suarezn

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One word: Drugs. IT IS THE No. 1 REASON why crime has skyrocketed in The DR. Before drugs weaved their way into the fabric of Dominican society The DR used to be one of the safest places...and if you look at crimes I would bet at least 50% of them are somehow connected to the drug trade. Reason I laugh when I see Almeyda extolling the virtues of the alcohol curfew they have imposed and how supposedly that measure has caused a marked decreased in crime.

Until we find a solution to the drug issue I anticipate things will get a lot worse, before we turn the corner (basically when a lot of those people die off). Consider that we don't even have a meth problem yet. I shudder just to think when that starts taking hold (and eventually it will). We just cannot afford to continue to be passive about this. Either need to legalize or really penalize (tough sentences) and we can argue that ad nauseam depending on what side of the argument you're on. Regardless middle of the road policy does not work in this case as we're seeing.
 
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cobraboy

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One word: Drugs. IT IS THE No. 1 REASON why crime has skyrocketed in The DR. Before drugs weaved their way into the fabric of Dominican society The DR used to be one of the safest places...and if you look at crimes I would bet at least 50% of them are somehow connected to the drug trade. Reason I laugh when I see Almeyda extolling the virtues of the alcohol curfew they have imposed and how supposedly that measure has caused a marked decreased in crime.

Until we find a solution to the drug issue I anticipate things will get a lot worse, before we turn the corner (basically when a lot of those people die off). Consider that we don't even have a meth problem yet. I shudder just to think when that starts taking hold (and eventually it will). We just cannot afford to continue to be passive about this. Either need to legalize or really penalize (tough sentences) and we can argue that ad nauseam depending on what side of the argument you're on. Regardless middle of the road policy does not work in this case as we're seeing.
Good post.

But isn't there some correlation between poverty/wealth and drugs?

It seems the poor and rich are the users: the poor for escape and rich because of boredom.

And isn't most drug crime fairly (but not 100%) confined to certain neighborhoods?

It was that way where I lived in the states as well as here. The violent crimes/property are in one place and property crimes only in another.

Even in the Miami heyday of the Colombian Cowboy wars it was isolated...unless you got caught in the crossfire.
 

aarhus

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Jun 10, 2008
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I wish the community here on dr1 could do something. Just discussing the issue at least is a step in the right direction. Instead of trying to pretend there is no crime. Or saying that there is crime everywhere and the dr is no different. I have been the victim of crime and in hindsight I am pretty certain I was targeted. A girlfriend of a foreign friend of mine called just 10 minutes before at one time. Asking where I was. It was at 3 pm in the afternoon in Mirador Sur. Another time him and I got robbed walking to a Italian restaurant with her. They did not rob her, she was very calm and she had been on her celphone just before. So sometimes it is hanging out with the wrong foreinger that can get you into problems. Him or she may have no idea. They are just being used as bait. So be very careful with that. Actually I would not mind hearing from others if they have tried something similar or suspect something similar has happened to them. I know it is a delicate topic. But I somehow think being open about what is going on fights crime.
 

jrhartley

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Sep 10, 2008
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I thought the crime level had dropped a bit in this area (north coast), not heard of anything for while, perhaps people are not reporting it so much .....who knows
 
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I wish the community here on dr1 could do something. Just discussing the issue at least is a step in the right direction. Instead of trying to pretend there is no crime. Or saying that there is crime everywhere and the dr is no different. I have been the victim of crime and in hindsight I am pretty certain I was targeted. A girlfriend of a foreign friend of mine called just 10 minutes before at one time. Asking where I was. It was at 3 pm in the afternoon in Mirador Sur. Another time him and I got robbed walking to a Italian restaurant with her. They did not rob her, she was very calm and she had been on her celphone just before. So sometimes it is hanging out with the wrong foreinger that can get you into problems. Him or she may have no idea. They are just being used as bait. So be very careful with that. Actually I would not mind hearing from others if they have tried something similar or suspect something similar has happened to them. I know it is a delicate topic. But I somehow think being open about what is going on fights crime.

Wishful thinking!!! A couple of hundred people trying to convince 10 million that crime is bad when so many local families are living of it? Good luck!!!!
What has to change is the economical situation in this country to start of with!!!
 

aarhus

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Jobs

Wishful thinking!!! A couple of hundred people trying to convince 10 million that crime is bad when so many local families are living of it? Good luck!!!!
What has to change is the economical situation in this country to start of with.

Well I agree with you that first of all the economy has to get better and jobs need to be created.
 

mido

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May 18, 2002
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Well I agree with you that first of all the economy has to get better and jobs need to be created.

Exactly, while the government cronies are supposedly try to get into the Chinese tourism market, the Chinese take over all the lower middle class business in the DR with few jobs for Dominicans.

What about the oil emanations in La Altagracia province, you think there could be some jobs created?
 
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Well I agree with you that first of all the economy has to get better and jobs need to be created.

Furthermore the attitude of the locals have to change. One of the largest sources of income are the remittances approx $2 billion a year which has created a society in which people are used to get things the easy way. Tourism also has contributed to this with a large increase in prostitution.
I really fear for this country as soon Cuba is really accessible for the US.
 

elbachatero6504

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Unfortunately...probably not

Crime is sometimes woven into the fabric of society itself. For example, Juanita doesn't have enough education let alone the resources to go to College, so she migrates to Sosua and becomes a 'sex worker' (I imagine saying I'm a sex worker sounds much better than saying I'm a prostitute, but I think it probably contributes to the problem). Is prostitution a 'crime'? Some would say yes, other no. But I thinks its undeniable that it creates a fertile bed of potential crime. With prostitution usually comes violence, drugs and crime.
Or take Juan who sells blackmarket DVD's on the street. A crime?? Many would consider it harmless, but most people don't realize that the Mexican drug Cartels push more than Marijuana and Cocaine, they are also into prostitution AND....thats right bootleg movies. So if there are 50 tigueres como Juan in every barrio, and 10 barrios in every city....well you get the picture. Not all crime is BIG, BAD and in your face. If there is demand, there will be supply, and criminals like to protect what they have, because logically it is a source of income for them.
And there is the large scale criminals that hide behind the veneer of business and politics. Take the Sugar trade, families like the Fanjul's and Vicini's are involved in 'crime' in my personal opinion, although it is technically 'legal'. They are modern day slave owners, they take advantage of the poor, profit from their back breaking labor, and enslave them in the Batey's in which they spend their lives at until they die. If that is not crime I don't know what it is. But if you think ol' Leo is going to touch them you can think again, why because with money comes influence and access. So, that is yet ANOTHER form of crime. My point is, regardless of where it is found, crime simply can not be stopped, because it is found on all levels and woven into the fabric of peoples lives either directly or indirectly.
 
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Too bad the Free Zones are on the down side [textile], that's why their so many crime in the streets..... what do you think all the packers,sewers, pressers are doing to make ends meet....?
 

aarhus

Long live King Frederik X
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Furthermore the attitude of the locals have to change. One of the largest sources of income are the remittances approx $2 billion a year which has created a society in which people are used to get things the easy way. Tourism also has contributed to this with a large increase in prostitution.
I really fear for this country as soon Cuba is really accessible for the US.

The economic situation is much worse in Cuba than the DR. They are even more dependent of those sources of income you are reffering to. And the Venezuelan support. There are really two scenarios for Cuba I think. One is they open more up, the embargo is lifted and same system stays in place. Then it will for some tourists be more atractive to go there as it will stay safe because of the policing. But it will still not be possible for foreigners to start any business or go live there. The second scenario is that the system breaks up and they go into a transition period. Then they may not be able to maintain the level of safety they have and it will start looking a lot like the DR. And the bad things of the DR may get worse there. Again everything about Cuba is speculation. They have what they have now. A Cuban I talked to the other day said it could change tomorrow or in 20 years. Nobody knows. I think in 20 years is more likely than tomorrow.
 

aarhus

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Analysis

Crime is sometimes woven into the fabric of society itself. For example, Juanita doesn't have enough education let alone the resources to go to College, so she migrates to Sosua and becomes a 'sex worker' (I imagine saying I'm a sex worker sounds much better than saying I'm a prostitute, but I think it probably contributes to the problem). Is prostitution a 'crime'? Some would say yes, other no. But I thinks its undeniable that it creates a fertile bed of potential crime. With prostitution usually comes violence, drugs and crime.
Or take Juan who sells blackmarket DVD's on the street. A crime?? Many would consider it harmless, but most people don't realize that the Mexican drug Cartels push more than Marijuana and Cocaine, they are also into prostitution AND....thats right bootleg movies. So if there are 50 tigueres como Juan in every barrio, and 10 barrios in every city....well you get the picture. Not all crime is BIG, BAD and in your face. If there is demand, there will be supply, and criminals like to protect what they have, because logically it is a source of income for them.
And there is the large scale criminals that hide behind the veneer of business and politics. Take the Sugar trade, families like the Fanjul's and Vicini's are involved in 'crime' in my personal opinion, although it is technically 'legal'. They are modern day slave owners, they take advantage of the poor, profit from their back breaking labor, and enslave them in the Batey's in which they spend their lives at until they die. If that is not crime I don't know what it is. But if you think ol' Leo is going to touch them you can think again, why because with money comes influence and access. So, that is yet ANOTHER form of crime. My point is, regardless of where it is found, crime simply can not be stopped, because it is found on all levels and woven into the fabric of peoples lives either directly or indirectly.

This is a pretty good analysis I think.
 

TravelHippo

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Mar 24, 2008
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???

Now there are only thirteen countries in World left that have higher rates than DR in murders, rapes and robberies (violent crimes). It was announced yesterday in Santo Domingo.

Only 13 countries with higher rates than the DR in murders, rapes and robberies?!?? I don't know if this information is correct.

First stat website I checked and the DR didn't even make any of those lists...nevermind being 13 from the top!

Total crimes statistics - countries compared - NationMaster

Murders (per capita) statistics - countries compared - NationMaster

Rapes (per capita) by country. Definition, graph and map.

Robberies (per capita) by country. Definition, graph and map.
 
E

engineerfg

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Thanks for posting those links to the statistics. if they are correct, they demonstrate the power of media, hype, and irrational thinking.
 
Jun 18, 2007
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Only 13 countries with higher rates than the DR in murders, rapes and robberies?!?? I don't know if this information is correct.

First stat website I checked and the DR didn't even make any of those lists...nevermind being 13 from the top!

Total crimes statistics - countries compared - NationMaster

Murders (per capita) statistics - countries compared - NationMaster

Rapes (per capita) by country. Definition, graph and map.

Robberies (per capita) by country. Definition, graph and map.

This is Bull$hit!!!!!
 

aarhus

Long live King Frederik X
Jun 10, 2008
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What does statiticts matter. We all hear about more crime and we even see it around us. Obviously gangs can operate almost as they want often with help of the police.