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Crime Rate in T&T
Crime Rate in T&T
Research Paper- An Examination of Crime in Trinidad and Tobago and its Impacts on
Human Development
An Assignment
Presented in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Course
PSYC220-02 Human Development Lifespan
By
Saralee Sookoo
Date
December 1, 2023
Approval……………….
CRIME IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 1
Abstract
An extensive examination of Trinidad and Tobago's crime rate for the years 2021 and
2022 is given in this paper. It compares the crime rates between these two years and investigates
the overall number of crimes recorded in each year. It also evaluates how Trinidad and Tobago's
crime rate compares against those of its surrounding countries and other nations worldwide. In
addition, the narrative assesses the economic strain that the high crime rate places on the nation
as well as how it affects individuals' safety and well-being. In summary, this section offers a
thorough grasp of Trinidad and Tobago's crime rate and its consequences for the nation.
CRIME IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 2
Introduction
In Trinidad and Tobago, a relatively small Caribbean country of around 1.4 million
citizens, crime is a significant societal issue. With 37.5 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in
2021, Trinidad and Tobago held the position of the second-highest rate in the Americas, after
Venezuela, and the sixth-highest homicide rate globally, as reported by the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The issue became worse in 2022 when the nation had
reported 599 killings, 151 more than the 448 documented the year before. The goal of this essay
is to examine Trinidad and Tobago's high crime rates in 2021 and 2022 and compare them with
regional and worldwide crime trends. It also aims to investigate the impacts of high crime rates
on the nation's economy and human development in Trinidad and Tobago. This research paper
offers a thorough grasp of Trinidad and Tobago's crime rate and its consequences for the nation.
The paper will use data from various sources, such as the Crime Index, The Global Peace
Index (GPI), and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, as well as relevant literature on crime
and development.
CRIME IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 3
Literature Review
Trinidad and Tobago. The decline in mental and physical health is one of the key repercussions.
According to studies, those who have experienced violence or been the victim of crime are more
likely to experience mental health problems such anxiety, sadness, and PTSD (Brazier, 2023).
Consequently, this may impede their capacity to excel in the classroom or at work, eventually
Moreover, a decrease in social cohesiveness and trust in local communities is also a result
of crime and violence. This may result in a person being more alone and engaging in less social
activities, which might have an impact on their general social development. Furthermore, a
culture of fear and insecurity brought about by the frequency of crime and violence may deter
Beyond individuals and communities, crime and violence have an influence on human
development. It also has an impact on the nation's general growth, including the healthcare and
education systems. For example, a fear of violence might cause students to skip class or quit
altogether, which would leave them without the knowledge and skills necessary to support
economic growth. Similarly to this, when a greater number of individuals need treatment for
psychological and physical traumas brought on by crime and violence, the strain on healthcare
systems grows.
Srinivasan et al. (2017), highlights the economic impacts of crime. It states that Crime can
drastically impact economic prospects because it frequently requires substantial resources from
the public and commercial sectors to both prevent it and cope with its negative effects. Crime
CRIME IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 4
comes with a number of direct and indirect consequences. Specifically, direct costs include
injury, damage, and loss; public and private spending on security; and reactions to crime, which
includes the cost of the criminal justice system (Srinivasan et al., 2017).
The three main costs of crime to be considered are public spending, private spending and
the social costs. Public spending includes the cost of security, policing services, criminal justice,
and prison administration, Private refers to the cost of security by private firms and social costs
of crime refers to victims’ and prisoners’ forgone income (Srinivasan et al., 2017).
Trinidad and Tobago’s public image is also affected by the high crime rate, which in turn,
negatively impacts the tourism industry. Trinidad and Tobago is among the least safe Caribbean
countries, emerging at number 88 on the GPI. It is second only to Jamaica in the Caribbean for
having one of the highest murder rates. Robberies and assaults are frequent instances of violent
crime, along with drug trafficking as an additional issue. Pickpocketing, fraud, and small-time
criminals prey on tourists (Expatriate Group, 2023). It is recommended that visitors use caution
in order to be safe. Additionally, rising crime rates have damaged confidence among investors
form of extra security or transactional fees, according to the Caribbean Council (2014).
Furthermore, young people are particularly impacted by violent crime, both as victims
and offenders. The majority of homicide victims are young persons, often between the ages of 18
and 35. According to Sutton and I. Ruprah (2017), 60% of homicide arrests include youths
within this age range. Gang activity, a faltering economy, and corruption all play a part in the
vicious cycle of poor growth, limited job possibilities, and elevated rates of youth criminality.
CRIME IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 5
Method
Existing research regarding crime and violence in Trinidad and Tobago offers a detailed
and insightful overview of the nation's ubiquitous and incredibly disconcerting issue that scourge
the country. Countless rigorous studies have thoroughly investigated and analyzed the various
elements that contribute to the nation's chronically high rates of crime and violence. This paper
utilizes the data from research done by reliable sources such as academic journals and local
newspaper articles, as well as the statistics made available through reports provided by the
Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) in order to thoroughly analyze the crime situation in
Trinidad and Tobago as well as compare it to the regional and international crime rates.
The data was first sourced and compiled, and then visually represented into graphs for the
purpose of easy comparisons. The compiled data includes the total number of crimes committed
in Trinidad and Tobago over the most recent years of 2021 and 2022, the most prevalent crimes
being committed as well as statistics that compare the crime rate of Trinidad and Tobago to the
Furthermore, the Crime Index provided by Numbeo was also used to gather and compare
data pertaining to crime in both Trinidad and Tobago as well as other countries worldwide. The
data provided by this website is derived from surveys conducted by visitors to the website. These
surveys are created using questions that are meant to resemble those in various government and
scientific surveys. Each survey response is given a number between -2 and +2, where -2 denotes
a very bad view and +2 denotes a significantly positive perception. (Numbeo, 2009).
Filtering techniques have been put in place to recognize and eliminate any unwanted
content from the calculations in order to guarantee data accuracy. Users that behave in a spam-
like manner are flagged by the algorithms, and the data they provide are not used in the
CRIME IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 6
computations. This preserves the data's integrity and yields accurate findings. The scale used to
show survey results ranges from 0 to 100. This size makes it possible to comprehend the data
simply and clearly, improving user experience and enabling insightful comparisons.
The current index is created using data that is up to 36 months old and is updated
continually. To guarantee statistical relevance, locations are carefully chosen for index inclusion
computed twice a year by adding the most recent data to the past context.
The Crime Index is an estimate of the overall amount of crime in a certain city or
country. Crime levels below 20 are regarded as extremely low, those between 20 and 40 as low,
those between 40 and 60 as moderate, those between 60 and 80 as high, and those over 80 as
very high.
2. Perceived safety: replies to surveys asking locals and tourists how safe they feel to stroll
3. Concerns regarding particular crimes: Concerns about muggings, robberies, car theft,
basis of skin color, ethnicity, gender, or religion are among the survey topics.
Results
A sum of 19,048 crimes were reported in Trinidad and Tobago within the years of 2021
to 2022. In the year 2021, there was a total of 8549 crimes and a 22.81% increase in 2022 with
Comparison of Offenses
From the graph, it is clear that robberies are the most prevalent crimes by a quite
significant margin. The prevalence of general larceny, and burglaries and break ins follow
closely. Within the years of 2021 to 2022, there was a sum of 3864 recorded robberies. There
were 1643 robberies in 2021 whereas 2022 saw a 35.18% increase with 2221 reported cases of
robberies.
CRIME IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 9
The graph above shows that Trinidad and Tobago ranks 3rd on a list of the highest
homicide rates within Latin America and Caribbean countries in the year 2022. Trinidad and
Tobago has a rate of 39.4 which has a 34.8 difference to the lowest ranking country, Chile, with
a 4.6 rating.
CRIME IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 10
From the table above, it can be seen that Trinidad and Tobago ranks at 7th place on the
list that rates the crime indices of countries worldwide. According to Numbeo.com which
conducted the surveys for this list, the country ranked last at 144th place was Qatar with a 14.4
crime index. This is a 56.4 difference to Trinidad and Tobago which has a crime index of 70.8.
CRIME IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 11
Crime is a serious and persistent problem in Trinidad and Tobago. According to the
available statistics, the country recorded 10499 crimes in 2022, a 22.81% increase from 2021.
This translates to a crime rate of 71.4 per 100,000 people, the sixth-highest in the world and the
Trinidad and Tobago has high rates of crimes especially involving burglaries and break
ins, robberies and general larceny. Within the years of 2021 to 2022, there was a sum of 3864
recorded robberies. A sum of 2893 burglaries and break ins were reported within 2021 and 2022.
The year 2021 reported 1331 burglaries and break ins with a 17.36% increase in 2022 with 1562
recorded cases. There were 1643 robberies in 2021 whereas 2022 saw a 35.18% increase with
2221 reported cases of robberies. There was also a total of 3207 cases of General Larceny
recorded in Trinidad and Tobago during the years of 2021 and 2022. For the year 2021, there
were 1500 cases of General Larceny while the year 2022 recorded 1707 cases, a 13.80%
increase. Furthermore, in 2022, the homicide rate in Trinidad and Tobago stood at 39.4
homicide victims per 100,000 inhabitants. In Latin America and the Caribbean, Trinidad and
Tobago had one of the highest homicide rates that year, ranking 3rd on the list of nations. It is
important to note that these numbers are likely to be underestimated, as many crimes go
unreported or undetected.
Compared to the rest of the world, Trinidad and Tobago ranks poorly on most indicators
of crime and security. According to the Global Peace Index (GPI), which measures the level of
peacefulness in 163 countries based on various factors such as homicide rate, terrorism impact,
political instability, etc., Trinidad and Tobago ranked 88th in 2022, with a score of 2.005 (Vision
of Humanity, 2022). The country also scored low on the Rule of Law Index (RLI), which
CRIME IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 12
measures how well countries adhere to the principles of justice, such as accountability,
transparency, fairness, etc., based on surveys of experts and citizens. Trinidad and Tobago has
been on a decline, dropping from rank 55 in 2020, to currently being ranked 70th in 2023
(WorldJusticeProject, 2023).
Following a sharp increase in crime and violence, Trinidad & Tobago is currently facing
several developmental obstacles. The estimated costs of crime and violence, according to
Alfonso (2009), range from expenses related to death, injury, and lost productivity to the added
strain on the legal system and law enforcement, the disruption of social services, business and
investment opportunities, tourism, and the reallocation of government funds and resources to
deal with the crime problem. Furthermore, crime lowers residents' quality of life by destroying
lives and livelihoods and creating a culture of violence and fear. Furthermore, it undermines
government. Thus, it is now essential that the government take control of this persistent plague
that jeopardizes the population's fundamental rights to tranquility, safety, dignity, and wellness in
order to facilitate the development of each citizen as well as the nation as a whole..
CRIME IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 13
Conclusion
Trinidad and Tobago's 2021–2022 crime rate provides numerous important insights.
Firstly, compared to 2021, there has been a substantial increase in the overall amount of crimes
recorded in 2022. This points to a worrying trend which calls for the governing body and law
enforcement to immediately take account of. Furthermore, it is very apparent that Trinidad and
Tobago has greater crime rates than its surrounding nations when comparing each of the
countries' figures. Trinidad and Tobago's high crime rate also puts the country at a disadvantage
globally. Comparing the nation's crime rate to other countries, it scores unfavorably which
highlights the necessity for effective policies to combat and lower crime.
In addition to this, it is impossible to overstate the effects of crime on the economy and
society. High crime rates have a detrimental impact on the public's general quality of life by
jeopardizing their safety and wellbeing. Additionally, crime has a major negative impact on
Trinidad and Tobago's economy by escalating poverty, impeding investment, and discouraging
tourists.
In conclusion, the analysis of the crime rate in Trinidad and Tobago highlights the critical
need for efficient strategies to deal with crime and guarantee the security and well-being of its
citizens. Its detrimental impacts on varying aspects of the nation must be addressed in order to
facilitate the further growth and development of the citizens and the country.
CRIME IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 14
This research paper evaluated Trinidad and Tobago's high crime rates in 2021 and 2022
and compared them with regional and international trends. It has also investigated how high
crime rates impact human development in Trinidad and Tobago. Nonetheless, there are a few
shortcomings and voids in the current literature that call for more investigation.
Future research may look at the underlying factors that contribute to crime in Trinidad
and Tobago, such as social exclusion, poverty, inequality, corruption, drug trafficking, and the
involvement of gangs. Evaluating the success of the present initiatives, such as community law
reducing crime in Trinidad and Tobago is an additional avenue for investigation. Examining how
crime affects other societal groups, including women, minorities, youths, and the elderly, is a
further avenue of inquiry. Examining alternative solutions and strategies to deal with Trinidad
and Tobago's crime issue, such as bolstering the application of law, improving citizen
involvement, encouraging social cohesion, and stimulating economic growth, is also a possible
option.
CRIME IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 15
References
Alfonso, S. (2009) ACUNS Annual Meeting: Global Governance of Security and Crime
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156285
https://www.ttps.gov.tt/Stats/Comparative-Chart
Expatriate Group. (2023, May 17). The Safest Caribbean Islands (RANKED).
https://www.expatriatehealthcare.com/the-safest-caribbean-islands-ranked/
#:~:text=Trinidad%20and%20Tobago&text=It%20has%20one%20of%20the%20highest
%20homicide%20rates%20in%20the,exercise%20caution%20to%20keep%20safe.
https://www.numbeo.com/crime/indices_explained.jsp
Srinivasan, K., Ötker, İ., Ramakrishnan, U., & Alleyne, T. (2017). Unleashing growth
https://doi.org/10.5089/9781484315194.071
CRIME IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 16
https://www.statista.com/statistics/947781/homicide-rates-latin-america-caribbean-
country/
development. https://www.caribbean-council.org/crime-damaging-caribbean-
development/#:~:text=Not%20only%20does%20crime%20cause,of%20a%20nation's
%20investment%20climate.
of-law-index/global/2023/historical