As I don’t wish the thoughts generated by the OP to fade to far into the recesses of our minds I thought I would throw this out amongst the populace as food for thought.
Underlying causes of crime in the DR. What are they and how can they be combated?
It is my contention that one of the biggest culprits to the increase in crime is the police itself. Besides the fact that a large number of police are the perpetrators of said crimes the fact that they also fail to enforce the existing laws that are on the books leads to the escalation of crime and the de-escalation of much needed revenue for the government coffers.
With the recent increase of robberies and purse snatchings being carried out by 3 people mounted on speedy motorcycles the public has begun to raise an outcry that a law be implemented to outlaw the carrying of 3 people on a motorcycle. Lo and behold we learn in Friday’s DR1 news that such a law, Chapter XIII of Law 253, has been on the books for some time.
It becomes very apparent to the casual observer that if the National Police had been doing their job from the beginning these latest statistics on crime would not be increasing. Also apparent is the fact that the National Police and all its associated organizations are not fulfilling their obligation to protect and serve the public.
The failure of the public sector to question this lack of protection and service comes as a disappointment when the complete pictures of the benefits that can be derived from such services are weighted. The enforcement of the laws serves the general public to include the environmentalists, health officials and a host of other sectors of the general public to include the police themselves.
Let’s break this law enforcement down to understand its benefits to the public. Aside from the expected drop in crime from enforcement you would end up with cleaner air as one example.
If vehicles without proper exhaust systems, already on the books, were cited and forced to repair their systems eventually the DR would acquire cleaner air due to a better smog control.
The enforcement of the helmet law, already on the books, would greatly reduce the number of head and face injuries and death that are associated with the motorcycle accidents in this country. This reduction in major injuries and death would lower the health expenses that are incurred in their treatment.
If vehicles with defective lights, turn signals, tires and other safety discrepancies, already on the books, were forced to repair same then the business sector would see added sales in those products that would be purchased to bring cited vehicles into compliance.
If motorcycles without tags, already on the books, were to be forced to purchase same then the added revenue to the federal coffers would be a benefit to the general public. It is despairing to hear that the federal government has failed to produce license plates for motorcycles for the last four years when you consider the monies that can be generated from their sales.
If citations were issued for littering, already on the books, the end result would be a cleaner DR which would be a benefit to the environmentalists and to the health of the public.
The monies generated from the fines administered to the negligible people and vehicles that commit an infraction to the law would help fill the coffers of the law enforcement agencies thereby allowing them the necessary funds to raise wages and purchase necessary equipment so that they are better able to protect and serve the public. Concerning the issuing of citations I found two articles on that for the electronic age here and here.
In conclusion let me say that the public should be demanding that the police do their job of enforcing the present law in all areas of law enforcement. I realize there are many causes for crime and the elimination of those causes would help reduce the crime rate but in the meantime the enforcement of the existing laws would greatly reduce crime also.
Rick
