The Role Of Gang Violence In St. Kitts

The issue of gang violence on the youth and communities in St. Kitts has been compounded over the last decade and have drastically increased over the years. As a direct result of the rise in gang violence, St. Kitts has been negatively impacted economically, socially and politically. Gangs thrive in an environment in which illegal and deviant behaviors are learned and improved upon, and methods for avoiding detection are taught. Gangs create a natural anti-social and defiant mannerism amongst its members because the members will feel the sense that they only belong with their gang and virtually, remove themselves from the social norms of their communities. Gangs have to find methods of fueling their influx of money whether it be through selling drugs, robberies, or extortion. The money is then used to supply weapons for protection from other
gang members or security personal and to perform violent criminal acts. Gangs also have delayed implications in that gang members are more likely to drop out of school, struggle with unemployment, abuse drugs and alcohol or wind up in jail. These factors not only harm the gang members, but they force taxpayers to contribute to community-assistance programs. The economy of the gang infested communities in St.
Kitts have decreased as they host the major gangs and are at the center of gang violence. Due to the presence of gangs, residential dwellings begin to deteriorate as the owners flee the area and homes become rental properties or are sold to less-than-desirable candidates. As the houses are abandoned, they are attractive locations and become targets for gangs to occupy and carry out their criminal activities. Landlords find it either unnecessary or difficult to keep properties in good order therefore, these houses and lots are left by the wayside and become breeding grounds for gangs. As a result, communities such as Mc. Knight, the Village, and Newtown has a host of ‘eye-sores’ around the neighborhoods as there are many discarded residential structures in these areas that the gangs can actively occupy. The reducing property values, vandalizing homes and cars in the communities, and assaulting residents who dare to express their displeasure to a gang member, few, if any, of the residents of a gang-infested community can escape the negative consequences of a gang's
presence. Schools and other learning institutions in these neighborhoods with a high gang presence cannot escape the negative influences that gang members have on teachers, students, and administrative personnel. Senior gang members often go to areas where they can recruit young potential members and influence them to join the gang as they are easily persuaded. Often, if a potential candidate to join the gang refuses, they are either forced to join or face victimization from gang members. The fear of being victimized by gang members who are prevalent in the areas lower the school’s attendance which contributes to absenteeism and dropping out. As more young adults are removed from schools and other learning institutions such as church, they join gangs to feel that sense of belonging even though the gang’s activities are defiant. Gang members are stigmatized by the community, labeled by the police, and are likely to build an arrest record which may lead to convictions and serving time in prison. The taxpayers of St. Kitts will then have to absorb the economic cost of prisons and its occupants. A record of arrests and incarceration will make it more difficult for the gang member to ever find legitimate employment and, without legitimate employment, it is likely no lasting personal success may ever be achieved.