Poverty and crime.

Paul Thate

New member
Jan 11, 2002
342
0
0
It?s a recurring theme in the post talking about crime in the Dr.
to blame this on poverty.
I find this a huge insult to all the honest and poor Dominicans that struggle
to make ends meet and remain honest.
As if crime did not exist in the richest countries of the world.
When you are a victim of a crime the perpetrator is most probably a young guy needing to pay for his drug habit. or for his chicas expenses.

Its my experience when you are shaken down by some official or policeman
its not going to be the little lowest guy on the totem pole.
It?s going to be the guy driving a big SUV . If you get here in some trouble it?s going to be a crooked official or lawyer., not a little poor guy trying to feed his family.

These guys are far more dangerous to our happy and safe living here then the poor petty thief.
 

Timex

Bronze
May 9, 2002
726
0
0
1st warning!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing bad yet, but Please do not let this get out of hand.
If responding with a view of YOUR, opinion, please keep the arrows in the sling.

If the Sh*t starts flying, I can move the thread to the General Stuff forum and you guys can let loose.
Just let me know.

:cool:

Thanks
Tim H.
 
Last edited:

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
982
113
How about moving it to the DR Debates forum?

Paul, I absolutely share your views about the many people who live in poverty without turning to crime, and that the crime that does the real harm is at government and big business level.

However, there is a link between poverty and crime. Where there is a high rate of poverty you will always get a minority of people turning to crime, especially where strong inequalities and lack of opportunities are added into the equation.

An ambitious but impatient young man from a poor barrio who sees rich boys his age driving expensive cars will not think: 'let me join the workers' revolutionary party so we can overthrow the government and give everyone a share of the action'. He is more likely to think: 'wow! how can I be like him!' As the usual mechanisms are not easily available to him - good quality education, training and job opportunities where he will get a chance to earn good money, crime is often the easy answer.

This is further reinforced by the 'grab what you can while you can' mentality exhibited by the government - no ruling party has managed to put a stop to it.

Luckily for every case like this, there are many more who decide to opt for the honest option. In any case the DR has not got a high crime rate in comparison to the rest of the region.

Chiri
 

Timex

Bronze
May 9, 2002
726
0
0
Chirimoya

Your wish is my command.....

I still think it might wind up in General Stuff

:cool:

Good luck.
Tim H.
 

Larry

Gold
Mar 22, 2002
3,513
2
0
crime

Yes there is a natural link between poverty and petty crime.Aside from that, if you are in a society where the people who enforce the laws and the people going up the judicial and political ladders are openly criminal, I dont see how can expect the citizenry of that society to behave any different.Of course I am not inferring that ALL Dominicans are criminals but the deplorable example set by the magistrate and bureaurocracy is bound to have an effect in general.
Larry
 
Last edited:

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
0
38
yahoomail.com
"Crime and Punishment" in the DR!

Well, at least "CRIME"! There is no "Punishment here! Going to jail for a long time IS a deterent to crime in most countries! Not here! Why not?.... Just look at the "Pepe" Goico "incident.Here is a guy who is out on probation,9 years of "probation",for stealing money from the National Lottery! "Hipolito" thinks that is a good job qualification to be his security chief! So "Pepe" runs up millions of $$$$$(Dollars,like in USA$$$) of credit card purchases for himself, and God knows who else.He goes to jail.THe judge says it is not a "criminal" offense,the bank doesn't press charges,They are in this too! So guess what?"Pepe" is out on bail,while he is already out on bail! What do you have to do to stay in jail here? ......Soooooooooooooo...... If you see government officials "stealing" and not having to "PAY" for their crimes,why shouldn't you steal?

Then there is the fact that dominican parents (Not ALL dominican parents,OK Pib?) never teach their children resposibility!!!!!!! They don't have to go to school,do their homework,go to bed at 9 pm,get up at 7 am., respect the personal property or human rights of others! So why not lie,cheat,and steal? It is just part of the cuture,or should I say "Lack" of culture in the Dominican Republic! CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
Re: "Crime and Punishment" in the DR!

Criss Colon said:
What do you have to do to stay in jail here?

Be arrested for something you may or may not have done and be put in jail pending a trial.

One of the reasons the DR prisons are so overcrowded is the huge number of people who have been held there for very long times pending trial.
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
0
38
yahoomail.com
Right Ken,I should have "narrowed" the field!

We all know that the poor bastards held in the "torture chambers" (Dominican Jails, which lack the basic needs of life) are not there for political abuses,corruption,or "white Collar" crimes,but for theft of gold chains,boom boxes,and killing their wives and girlfriends!The politically connected carry a "Get out of jail free" card !cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

I forgot the "Political Prisoners" who are put away for years awaiting a court appearance because they hold unpopular views!
 
Last edited:

kingofdice

Active member
Jan 16, 2002
406
29
28
re: Agree somewhat

I have to agree with Paul somewhat that the DR may be looked at unfairly as to it's relative crime rate. I have visited St. Martin several times and it is considered more affluent, though not more populous country. However, I have stopped vacationing in the St. Martin, because crime is rampant on the island and has been acknowledged as such by officials.
On the otherhand, I have not felt the same level of lawlessness in the D.R. I'm aware that poverty and petty crime seem to go together, but I don't see the same coorelation. Regretfully, corrupt officials seem to get a minor slap on the wrist in the D.R., where in the U.S., they are sent to prison for the same offenses. As long as D.R. politicians continue to get away with lieing, stealing, and corruption, morality will suffer in the country.
 

rafael

Bronze
Jan 2, 2002
1,633
28
48
61
www.dr-tourist.tv
I have never felt unsafe in the DR. I have been to many a barrio without a problem. i do hear about breaking and entering etc and petty theft but not much violent robberies or muggings.

As far as corrupt police, I have been pulled over many times and have never paid a "multa" yet. I am usually being pulled over by low rung police officers or maybe guys that aren't even cops but have a military uniform and gun?

The last guy said he was AHMET. I asked why the motorcycle wasn't a green ahmet bike. I also dropped a name, and was handed my license back and told no more "multa".
 

MommC

On Vacation!
Mar 2, 2002
4,056
7
0
dr1.com
If anyone has noticed (besides me)....

but crime seems to be on the increase since the US started re=patriating a lot of the Dominicans that were being held in American jails.

Most crime that one hears about is Dominican to Dominican with just a few incidences of "opportunity" crimes where a tourist has had a gold chain etc. "lifted".
Purse snatching tends to be another crime of opportunity as is pick-pocketing however these crimes are no where near as prevalent on the island as they are in Europe.