ABSTRACT
The Caribbean is a group of small, democratic countries at varying stages of development. Escalating crime trends in the region, especially since the late 1980s, are of serious concern, with some countries boasting the highest crime rates in the world. This has imposed significant costs on the region, and has created negative outcomes, including high levels of insecurity and distrust, presenting challenges to democracy and development. This chapter reviews the crime and violence situation in the Caribbean by first examining its history of colonialism and reviewing some theoretical explanations of crime applicable to the Caribbean. The chapter continues with an overview of crime patterns and trends, looking specifically at homicides, drug and gang activities, and shows that the increased use of firearms has led to higher levels of crime and violence. The consequences and costs are then discussed and it is shown that in the Caribbean, crime, particularly violent crime, has devasting effects and brings heavy costs to society.
