Few issues in Jamaica command as much attention as the problem of criminal violence, and the weaknesses in law enforcement and the justice delivery system. Indeed, the reform of the Jamaica Constabulary Force is ongoing and the Government has just launched a justice reform project, which, hopefully, will lead to a far more efficient and responsive justice system.

It is in that context that we welcome the planned launch in the new academic year of an Institute of Criminal Justice at the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI). This institute is to be led by Professor Anthony Harriot, a foremost expert on criminal justice issues in Jamaica.

We all know of the impact of crime in Jamaica, especially its manifestation in violence and a homicide rate that is among the highest in the world: well over a thousand murders a year at a rate of over 50 per 100,000 population.

It is still a fact that crime and criminal violence in Jamaica is largely geographically and socially skewed, affecting, primarily poor urban communities. That, however, ought to be of no comfort. The pain of people's suffering is no less if they are poor.

But beyond the moral considerations, there are the practical aspects of crime and criminality in Jamaica, one of which is that it is increasingly mobile. This means that much more so than in the past, retreat from the influence and impact of crime to the hills of suburbia and behind the walls of gated communities is difficult.

In any event, retreat is not, in the longer run, an economically sustainable solution. Indeed, the Inter-American Bank, and others, reckon that crime and criminality crimp about seven per cent off of Jamaica's output annually. The upshot: the economy is incapable of producing the surpluses necessary for investment in growth, jobs, education, health and infrastructure that are so critical to social stability.

In the end, therefore, there remains a pool of people, mainly young, who are susceptible to recruitment into crime and other anti-social behaviour. Hopefully, Professor Harriot's institute will provide an invaluable resource and prove to be a fulcrum from which Jamaica can effectively, with intellectual rigour, and in the absence of partisan considerations, address the problems.

We are glad that the United Nations is involved in the process and is in support of efforts to raise money for anti-crime and anti-corruption initiatives. Indeed, the outgoing U.N. representative in Kingston, Mr. Juan Espinola, has built on the efforts of his predecessor, Ms. Gillian Lindsay-Nanton, to launch a series of consultations with community stakeholders to find consensus on the issues that frayed the country socially and politically and contribute to crime.

Mr. Espinola, as reported in this newspaper, has stressed the importance of the Jamaican Government putting its weight behind these initiatives. In the past, the Government has talked the talk. We, however, hope that it is the imprecision of Mr. Espinola's statement, rather than genuine concern, that leaves a hint of doubt about the direction the Jamaican Government will take.

"I think that the difficult thing is that it requires the Government of Jamaica to act," he said. "There is very little that can be done without them playing a lead role."

We can't see why on this so serious an issue the "difficult thing" would be for the Jamaican Government "to act". If they are serious, the Government will act with alacrity.