Despite Trinidad and Tobago’s wealth, experts say 25% live below the poverty line. According to Sookram (2008) more than a ¼ of the population of oil-rich Trinidad lives below poverty line. Sookram said that 27.32% live below the poverty level despite the fact that Trinidad and Tobago has been classified as a high income country by the World Bank. “Is this why the crime rate in Trinidad and Tobago is probably the highest in the Caribbean?” David Garland (1996), posits that the group that suffer the most from crime tend to be the poorest and the least powerful members of society and will usually lack the resources to but security or the flexibility to adapt their routines or organized effectively against crime. This disparity between the rich and the poor which overlaps with the developing divisions between property- owning classes and those social groups who are deemed a threat to property will tend to propel us towards criminal behaviour.
The term ‘rich’ may be defined as “the possession of material wealth, having abundant supply of desirable qualities or substances especially natural resources, having control of such assets and benefiting from the legislation.” In contrast, ‘poor’ refers to the lack of specific resources, qualities or substances, with little or no possessions or money, having less than adequate in relation to the upper classes/the rich and wealthy. Socio-economic status is an economic and sociological combined measure of a persons work experience and of individual’s or family’s economic and social position relative to others based on income, education , wealth, occupation and social status in the community. As a result of this unequal distribution issue that arises between the rich and the poor, Clarke, Twoey (2001), has put fort the equitable solution arguing that one must eliminate the differences of rich and poor, and all man should be treated equally in the eyes of the law.
The distribution of wealth has always been uneven in Trinidad and Tobago. There are also extremes of wealth and poverty. The wealthy minority is made up of those with interest in the private sector manufacturing and it is widely rumoured in politics state co operations. The richest citizens in Trinidad are to be seen in the hill side suburbs of Port-of-Spain, where large villas boast satellites dishes and swimming pools. Trinidad and Tobago’s rich tend to live a transnational lifestyle, with assets and interest in the US.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Socio-Economic Background of Trinidad and Tobago
3. Theoretical Framework: Marxism and Conflict Theory
4. Functionalist and Interactionist Perspectives on Crime
5. Social Learning and Subculture Theory
6. Reiman’s Ideology: The Criminal Justice System and the Poor
7. Empirical Evidence: Case Studies in Trinidad
7.1 The Basdeo Panday Case
7.2 The Yasin Abu Bakr Case
7.3 The Ish and Ferguson Case
7.4 The Dhanraj Singh Case
7.5 The Stephon Martinez Case
7.6 The Glenn Ashby Execution
7.7 The Brad Boyce Trial
7.8 The Akiel Chambers Inquest
8. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This mid-term paper explores the assertion that the criminal justice system in Trinidad and Tobago disproportionately targets the poor while shielding the wealthy, effectively maintaining social and economic inequalities. Drawing on Jeffrey Reiman’s "Pyrrhic defeat theory," the paper investigates whether the justice system serves as a tool for class control rather than crime reduction.
- Analysis of socio-economic inequality and its correlation with crime rates in Trinidad.
- Application of Marxist and Conflict theories to the local criminal justice infrastructure.
- Evaluation of judicial outcomes in high-profile cases involving affluent versus low-income individuals.
- Examination of systemic biases in law enforcement and legal proceedings.
- Critical review of "white-collar" crime versus "street" crime in the eyes of the law.
Excerpt from the Book
Reiman (1979) identify with commendable empirical support the mechanisms by which the Criminal Justice system “weeds out the wealthy” and grinds down the poor. Reiman calls the “Pyrrhic defeat theory”- the thesis that the criminal justice system is design to fail to reduce crime precisely because it wins. The winners in this enterprise are those persons who could change the system but they do not, the winners are the rich and powerful. They win by having their positions and the status quo maintained by crime control. In other words Reiman argues the failure to reduce crimes sends out an ideological message that crime is a threat from the poor who are poor and powerless.
This ideology can be mirrored in Trinidad’s society and within the Criminal Justice system. As a result the Criminal Justice policy creates the ‘reality’ of crime as the work of the poor and projects an image that serves the interest of the rich and powerful. Reiman has argued that society fails to protect people from crimes they fear, and refuses to alleviate the poverty that breeds such crimes. He takes the position that the Criminal Justice system fails to protect the general population by not defining as crimes the dangerous acts of those who are rich and by failing to enforce the law vigorously when the well-to-do commit crimes. For this same reason, these failures help the criminal justice system not only in Trinidad but throughout to create the image that crime is almost exclusively the work of the poor, an image that serves the interest of the powerful.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the research question regarding the disparity between the rich and poor in the Trinidadian justice system.
2. Socio-Economic Background of Trinidad and Tobago: Describes the extreme wealth gap and poverty levels in Trinidad and how they correlate with rising violent crime.
3. Theoretical Framework: Marxism and Conflict Theory: Explains how legal systems are viewed as tools for the powerful to control the "have-nots."
4. Functionalist and Interactionist Perspectives on Crime: Discusses societal strain and how those in power define what constitutes criminal behavior.
5. Social Learning and Subculture Theory: Details how environment and upbringing contribute to the adoption of criminal behaviors among the poor.
6. Reiman’s Ideology: The Criminal Justice System and the Poor: Analyzes the concept of the "Pyrrhic defeat theory" and how the system intentionally fails to reduce crime.
7. Empirical Evidence: Case Studies in Trinidad: Presents various legal cases to illustrate how wealth and social status influence trial outcomes and sentencing.
8. Conclusion: Summarizes the findings and reaffirms the validity of the statement that the poor are disproportionately incarcerated.
Keywords
Trinidad and Tobago, Criminal Justice System, Poverty, Wealth Gap, Conflict Theory, Pyrrhic Defeat Theory, Marxism, Incarceration, Social Inequality, White-Collar Crime, Judicial Bias, Crime Control, Socio-Economic Status, Sentencing Disparity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core argument of this research paper?
The paper argues that the criminal justice system in Trinidad and Tobago is structurally biased to favor the wealthy, resulting in a system where the poor are more likely to be arrested, convicted, and imprisoned, while affluent offenders often avoid severe punishment.
What are the primary theoretical foundations used in the study?
The study relies heavily on Marxist theory, Conflict theory, Functionalism, and specifically Jeffrey Reiman’s "Pyrrhic defeat theory" to analyze how the system maintains existing power structures.
What is the central research question addressed?
The research seeks to determine whether the statement "the rich get richer and the poor get prison" holds true in the context of Trinidad and Tobago's legal landscape.
Which scientific methods are employed in this paper?
The author uses a qualitative approach, combining literature review on criminological theory with case study analysis of historical and contemporary legal cases in Trinidad.
What topics are covered in the main section of the paper?
The main section covers the socio-economic causes of crime, theoretical explanations of class-based justice, and a detailed review of specific legal cases involving both wealthy and lower-class defendants.
What keywords best represent the themes of this work?
Key terms include Criminal Justice System, Poverty, Wealth Gap, Conflict Theory, Judicial Bias, and Socio-Economic Status.
How does the author relate the Basdeo Panday case to the overall thesis?
The author uses the Panday case as an example of how legal proceedings involving high-profile, wealthy individuals often result in appeals and complexities that may not be afforded to poorer defendants.
What point does the author make about the Glenn Ashby execution?
The author suggests that the administrative failures regarding Ashby’s stay of execution reflect an intentional desire by authorities to bypass legal protections for those of lower social status.
How does the case of Stephon Martinez serve as a contrast to wealthier defendants?
Martinez’s case is presented to show how a young, low-income individual faced a significant custodial sentence for manslaughter, contrasting this with the leniency often observed in cases involving wealthier or more powerful individuals.
- Quote paper
- BSc, MSc Stacy Ramdhan (Author), 2010, "In Trinidad the rich get richer and the poor get prison." , Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/175785
