Amnesty International Criticized Jamaican Police Force

Amnesty International has again criticized the Jamaican police for what it described as the high rate of killings by members of the force in 'socially excluded' inner-city communities. Many who live in Jamaica know that you don't cross the police. Sadly we have to say that many of our law enforcement personnel are corrupt. I don't think it is just the state of the economy in Jamaica but it has become a cultural reality.

The Amnesty report cited the case of 17-year-old Carlton Grant who was shot dead by police on August 23 in downtown, Kingston and 13-year-old Jevaughn Robinson who was fatally shot in the head by the police on September 22 in Spanish Town, St Catherine.



"In September, Parliament passed bills to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court and Appeal Court. However, despite these moves national human rights organizations have pointed to continued chronic problems with the judiciary, including severe delays in cases being heard, unavailability of jurors, witness absenteeism and sporadic court scheduling," according to the Amnesty report.

Whatever the findings, the fact is if you cannot go to those who were entrusted to protect you for help, then who do you go to?

Source: Jamaican Observer