Drugs And Crime In Belize

Headlines of the Amandala edition read: “Saleswoman, 29, executed in Las Flores”; “Cop charged with murder”; “Life in Prison for Alwin Gab, 45”. These are just a few of the countless cases of crime we know about that take place in Belize. The question: “Till when?” is left unanswered. Belize has been facing an increased rate in crime and violence for the past decade. The situation is getting worse with many types of crimes on the increase especially those committed against persons, with murder being the most common. Some contributing factors are an increase in the business of drug trafficking, which involves the availability of guns used to protect territory and profits to deal with rivals; an increase in drug use and abuse; a high unemployment

Drugs are not always illegal, and their sale and use doesn’t always lead to crime. The immediate effect of drugs on the mind and body may create mental or physical states that somehow facilitate aggression or create on users a need to consume them but who lack the necessary funds to do so. Drugs can be related to crime if they cause a mental or physical state conducive to law-breaking, lead to perceived need that results in the encouragement to steal, increase in predatory and retaliatory activities” (Wright Richard, Scott Jacques,2007).

The use of alcohol and drugs most of the time contributes to crime. Almost every country, including Belize, has laws which prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages to anyone under 18 years. Yet, criminals won’t pay mind to the law. Research conducted by Admin, 2010 have also found that young people are the ones committing the highest percentage of crime. These would include youths between the ages of 18-25; they are the ones which would usually be arrested. But why are they the ones breaking the law and murdering? According to experts, worldwide it seems that it is due to poverty. Many may be living in poor conditions and would have no other way out to help maintain their families. This would fall in social-conflict paradigm, where social inequalities

The reporter says, “On Monday, November 15, 2010 Sheleen Martinez was found dead, at around 6 o’clock in Dangriga. It was understood that she had several stab wounds to her body, and a cut wound to the right side of her face. She was nearing full-term pregnancy. William Swazo, caretaker, found Martinez on the lowest step, sitting in a pool of blood, with her full black dress bloody from several different wounds on her body. He tried to wake her, but she didn’t respond, and the police was eventually alerted. Martinez’s mother said that her family is grieving her daughter’s death and only have questions about what happened, why she was attacked in the fashion she was. Police said that they had one person detained and investigations were pending” (Ortiz Daniel, Amandala Belize,