INTRODUCTION FOR CARIBBEAN STUDIES ESSAY 1

Group Members: Alicia Williams, Deandre Wright, Noelle Steele

Topic: Crime

Problem Statement: An investigation into the causes and effects of crime on the academic

performance of students living in the March Pen Road Community.

Purpose Of Research & Educational Value: The purpose of this study is to help discover

and analyze the causes and effects of crime on the academic performance of students

residing in the March pen rd community. It is necessary to identify these issues that can

assist in understanding how schools are responding in the midst of violent communities;

supporting students who may be at the risk of dropout. The educational value of this study

is that it can help the reader discuss the effects of crime on students at the secondary

education level and how well they can adapt and avoid crime without being criminals

themselves and escaping poverty and other negative factors within an impoverished

Jamaican society.

Technical Terms: Crime, Criminal, Poverty, Effects, Drugs, Jamaican, Impoverished

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Background Information

Crime is an unlawful act or transgression or omission that is in the breach of law usually because

it endangers or aggrieved individuals or society.

Jamaica is considered one of the most violent countries within the Caribbean. Its high crime rate

each varying from murders, Trafficking, Raping or even Kidnapping has been a major concern to

the locals and, also the Government. However, certain acts of the government have somehow

improved with the handling of such criminal acts which declined the crime rates within the

country. In St.Catherine Spanish Town, lies a community March Pen Road in which is

considered a “hot spot” for criminal acts within the parish and even Spanish Town as a whole.

March Pen Community has certain records of murders, robberies, and killings due to the negative

stigma of individuals mostly males that are born into poverty which contributed to criminal

actions within the community. The word crime carries many adverse effects such as the

dismantling of families, loss of relatives, and mainly financial issues which are considered a

primary factor of crime in Jamaican society.

Students that live within the inner city of March Pen, are mainly impacted by the negative effects

of crime and violence. Mostly male students tend to be influenced by their peers, which turn to

criminal acts by which they were influenced by the ‘dons’ of the community mainly to seek a

sense of belonging, due to the loss of families and or relatives. These actions on students can

lead to reducing grades, the influence of drugs otherwise as ‘Ganja’ and then smoking. Bleaching
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can also be considered a factor, just to fit in with the others. In contrast, female students can also

result in the bleaching of their skin to teenage pregnancy.

This assessment tends to research the causes and effects of crime and the influence it has on

students that live in this type of community.