Your comments: Crime and blogging from Saudi
I'm getting a late start with my liveblogging tonight in our discussion about crime. It's a problem all around the world. We've talked about knife crime in the UK, and tonight, we talked about crime in South Africa, the US and Jamaica.
South Africans have protested after a government minister said those who should emigrate.
And we closed out the programme talking to women who blog in Saudi Arabia.
I'm going to try to focus on your text messages and e-mails that have come in during the programme. We've got a lot of e-mails. Crime hit home for a lot of people.
Duane in Michigan in the US sent us this e-mail:
While interviewing a policeman from New Orleans, a woman commented that police would show to her home after he'd reported illegal activity in the neighborhood. This is a common practice among police agencies, in detroit, mi, usa...rather than go to where a problem has been reported, officers will come to the home of the person reporting a problem, exposing the citizen to retaliation from criminals. Police know where drug dealers are, but prefer to take no effective action.
Laura James sent us this e-mail about neighbourhood watch programmes:
Neighborhood Watch Groups are neighborhood volunteers organized to patrol neighborhoods - as a presence and watchful eye. Usually the volunteers patrol in pairs with cell phones and flashlights. They watch for unusual activity and report it to the police. Police work with these neighbors to help them to know how to react to a variety of situations. Signs are posted are around neighborhood to let criminals know that people care and are watching. It's one solution that helps to fight crime.
Alex in Russia had this view: "I have been long coming to the conclusion that the hi crime rate is deliberately maintained by the governmental law enforcement agencies."
The reason is pretty simple and obvious --- frightened and unhappy people who constantly worry for their lives, who live in fear of being attacked or robbed or whatever are much easier to control. If the government really wanted to rid the country of crime they would do it within 48 hours. It may sound somewhat crazy but in a way criminals work for the government. it all boils down to the question of control of ordinary people by the elite and the crime plays a part in this system, thats why they keep it goin. That is my strong opinion , at least about this cuntry.
Texts from Africa
Every night we have many more texts than we could possibly read out. Here just a few of the many texts that you sent us. We got this text message from Michael:
The only way to cut down on crime is by having advanced tracking and communication systems like the western world. The manual operations are innefective.
Weaver Mumba sent us this text message from Lusaka,Zambia.
Crime in South African cities is quiet high. Some of our own Zambians who go to do business in that country have ended up being killed.We hope the authorities in that country will do their best to curb this vice especially as the prepare to host the next world cup.
Banda from Nairobi sent us this text:
Community is one way of dealing wth crime since those involved are also part of community & they are always known to somebody in community. Is guardian angels part of community policing?
Nicholas in Uganda sent us this text message:
Dear ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ! As long as there is a great disparity in property relations between the rich and the poor within the same community, coupled with uncontrolled small arms flow, crime rate will grow.
