Minimizing crime in the society

BY PRISCILLA CHRISTOPHER

Our society today is filled with vices  and violent strategies mapped-out   by conscience-lacking individuals to humiliate and make life miserable and meaningless for people. These vices include: armed-robbery, kidnapping, traditional injunctions, theft, bribery, amongst others. 

Despite our call for peace and unity in the National Anthem, and the pledge to uphold our country’s honour and glory, the problem of crime still exists. 

Employment opportunities have overtime been created, motivational programmes have been initiated and amnesty declared yet, the rate of the evil done in our society is on the increase. While the obligation of eradicating social malpractice lies solely in the hands of every individual, the youths have the bulk responsibility of ensuring a crime-free society.

The reason is not far-fetched. We know how strong, agile, curious, anxious, and eager the youths are when it comes to taking actions, exercising maturity and portraying boldness. Basically, the youths are characterized by impatience, anxiety and the desire to proof a point in their quest for independence. This is why a number of them are involved in criminal activities.  

Crime is a specific act committed in violation of the law. This implies that anything done against the provisions of the law is a criminal activity. Examples of severe crimes include: cultism, stealing, prostitution, drug addiction, examination malpractice and the rest. The geneses of crime among youths is traceable to the lack of discipline, correction and the failure of parents to properly train, control and guide their children to grow in the right path while upholding moral principles of godliness, contentment, discipline, self-control, humility and perseverance. Hence, children who are not brought up in the above-mentioned ways grow to become miscreants and tyrants who subsequently become a pain in the neck and a thorn in the flesh. 

As noted earlier, the youths are usually more perpetrators of crime; this tells why criminal activities are rampant in places where the youths are dominant. On campuses, at social gatherings and even in religious gatherings, youths have become active purveyors of moral decadence just as they have been a bit positive though. Issues of cultism which is prevalent in learning institutions have become a matter of global concern arising from the frivolous activities by those concerned here. For those who may not know, cultism involves a group of people indulging in worship activities yet, not part of any established religion. A cultist is therefore, one who is involved in cult activities such as initiations, blood covenants, oath taking and other demonic activities. It remains a maze how and why Nigerian youths still delve into cultism despite the ugly consequences and aftermath accompanying it. For one, a cultist loses his individuality and the liberty to live life, he is compelled by forces beyond his control to become a thief and eventually an armed robber; he stands a better chance of becoming an abuser of drugs, he lives perpetually under fear, he runs the risk of losing his life and he stands to lose his admission (for those in institutions of learning) as well as other future opportunities. What then is the use of committing oneself to such bodily exercise which profits nothing? 

Away from cultism, prostitution is another criminal act dominant in today’s society. Often associated with the female folks, it is the act of calling attention to one’s body in order to secure undeserved scores or the act of sexual gratification in return for money or favour from men. Ladies involved in prostitution usually dress in body-fitting attires to showcase their curves and edges to desired sexual partners. Even when the consequences of prostitution are apparent, ladies still go into it under the auspices of poverty which is totally untrue. The first disadvantage of prostitution is that it abuses the well-being of the one practicing it. It also leads to loss of self-respect and confidence; being despised by decent students and consequently becoming a subject of campus gossip. The prostitute is also likely to fall into the hands of ritualists and is a direct candidate of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). The list is endless. What goes round does come around and it applies here. Promiscuity before marriage or with married men will eventually result in promiscuity in marriage and with one’s husband as well. Prostitution is as bad as other crimes and should be deserted by right-thinking ladies. 

Another criminal activity among youths today is that of drug addiction-the compulsive use of drug in greater amounts than are used in ordinary therapeutic cases. It is a behavioural pattern of compulsory drug use characterized by an overwhelming involvement in the procurement and use of the drug. The effects of drug addiction are majorly physical and psychological as they disarray the total functioning of the brain which results in uncontrolled behaviours, utterances and attitudes. 

The list of criminal activities around and among us is endless. We hear and see them happen daily such that it has become a familiar foe. How then can it be minimized and consequently brought to book given the fact that it has become a menace and a force no one wants to be reckoned with? The first step in correcting these ills is to develop among the youths, a mindset that would enable them see, understand and react to issues maturely and differently. Since a person’s mindset determines their lifeset, it is imperative that the government and concerned agencies rise up to the challenge of initiating mind-changing programs that would strategically change the thinking pattern of the youths and direct their minds sharply from criminal activities to hardwork, self-reliance and dignity. They should be taught to uphold perseverance in all things, exercise contentment and show respect for human life and properties. This responsibility is to be jointly shared by parents because they are the foundational teachers and models to their wards. The way a child is trained is the way they will grow to become, the Bible confirms this. Hence, parents are to exercise their primary duty of educating their children morally, academically and virtuelly.  Children learn more from what they see their parents do than what they are told. It therefore beckons on parents to set good examples for their wards to emulate. 

Secondly, the society should develop a keen eye for abnormalities, irregularities and malpractices. In the days before now, a child belonged to the society. Correction and reproof was a collective affair and was not limited to the parents alone but today, the reverse is the case. No one seems a bit bothered by the misdemeanor ongoing in the society. So a prostitute, a thief or an armed robber can share the same roof with a Police Officer, a Village Head or a Lawyer without being questioned or cautioned. This is one reason that has encouraged so many vices: the absence of someone to correct a wrong at its initial stage. 

A very important solution to criminal activities is the treatment of criminal cases with all amounts of seriousness, strictness and rapid response it deserves. This is opposed to the somewhat levity it is given by men of the force who sometimes abet crime, form allegiances with criminals and close their eyes to anomalies. The Armed Forces should therefore rise up to their calling by exposing antics and criminal activities and turning them up for subsequent punishment. This would serve as a deterrent to others no matter how fearless such is. 

Crime is a threat to the safety of human lives and properties and should not be covered at all. As such, drastic measures should be taken to curtail the continuance of such for the overall good of Nigerians.