News
Young men on parole warn youngsters
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, August 25, 2022 – Three young men who have been released on parole after spending time in lockup have a word for their compatriots in The Turks and Caicos, “prison isn’t worth it”. But without targeted and consistent solutions to the issues pushing young men into crime, the warning will continue to miss its mark.
The young men spoke with Governor Nigel Dakin days before they were released, who in turn shared bits of the conversation with the public.
“All of them said that their advice to any young man would be to walk away from trouble – time at the prison was simply not worth it. It was tough.” Dakin explained.
The young men’s warnings are not unfounded as the majority of individuals arrested for violent crimes in the Turks and Caicos this past year have been young men. Additionally, the majority of people killed in violent altercations this year have also been young men.
It’s a worrying trend that Police Commissioner Trevor Botting, Premier Washington Misick and the Governor have all spoken about at length.
The three young men who are now out on parole, had to go through an extensive process to prove their intent to
Dakin explained that the process of being approved for parole was one of “consistent good behavior and investment in themselves.” He said that all the young men have “held positions of responsibility and trust in the prison and some have been on day release.”
The men must be lauded for their admirable efforts, and while there are numerous projects now underway for those in correctional facilities to turn themselves around, not everyone will make it to prison.
Some will be killed by rivals, others in altercations with police, and some as innocents in crossfire.
Scores of college-age young men are arrested in the Turks and Caicos each year, in August alone, two have been arrested for drug and gun possession in separate incidents. Another young man was shot and injured in what is being described as a case of mistaken identity, and unlicensed guns keep turning up in our youth’s possession.
These hard truths and the journey of the three young men highlights the sore lack of intervention programs aimed at catching young men as boys before they enter the stage where they must be dealt with by the law.
The recently launched Police Action League is one such program, but it has been plagued with delays and is seasonal in nature. Deputy Police Commissioner Rodney Adams bemoaned the lack of intervention aimed at boys at the PAL launch.
“For too long we have gotten it wrong in law enforcement globally…in policing we have had a reactive approach for far too long…The reactive approach has not worked, and it will not work.” he said.
In addition, the issue is contributing to brain drain as many talented young people decide to leave to escape the violence.
Unless numerous opportunities and programs are aimed at the TCI’s young men in their impressionable years, there will continue to be more bloodshed.