Senator Warren Newby, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Youth and Culture, shares a joke with students of Ardenne High School, from left, Julian Morrison, Dexter Johnson and Micah Tomlinson, during the launch of National Youth Month 2007 at Jamaica House yesterday. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

A student of St. Hugh's High School in St. Andrew says she is frustrated with the level of crime and violence in the society and has called upon the authorities to save the society from this scourge.

"I am tired of being afraid and anxious, wondering if I will be able to make it home safe or not," said 17-year-old Danielle Edwards yesterday.

"Let us come together to rid our nation of this scourge of crime and violence so that we can have a better psychological health and emotional well-being."

Findings of a study

Danielle made her appeal while presenting the findings of a study she conducted, entitled 'The effects of Crime and Violence on teenagers from an inner-city community in Kingston'.

The presentation was made yesterday at the Caribbean Child Research Conference, at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston. Danielle and six other students are vying for the outstanding Child Researcher Award.

The two-day conference, which ends today, was organised by the University of the West Indies and other organisations, and is being held under the theme 'Promoting Child Rights Through Research'.

The study examined 20 students age 13 to 19. Danielle found that a majority of students interviewed were affected by crime.

She reported that 17 were exposed to robbery, 18 to gun violence, five to rape and six to domestic violence.

She also found that 85 per cent of respondents said they found it hard to focus when studying.

"I have asked myself, as a student and as a citizen of Jamaica, if violence was non-existent or there was little evidence of crime and violence, can not our Caribbean examinations passes be greater?" she asked rhetorically.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com