A fraudulent crisis
Dear Editor,
Jamaica is currently facing a growing crisis. A fraudulent crisis.
Fraud-related offences include electronic fraud, forgery, obtaining money by false pretence, and uttering false documents and counterfeit notes. Since the start of 2023, between January and April, there have been 24 reported cases of fraud-related offences. This, therefore, means that law enforcement and, by extension, the Government must invest in innovative ways to deter these types of illegal activities.
Statistics reveal that between the years 2017 and 2022 there has been a fluctuation in reported cases. In 2017 a total of 216 cases were reported. The reported cases fell gradually to 190 in 2018. Data revealed that there was a significant increase of 263 cases reported in 2019 when compared to the previous year. In fact, there was a sharp reduction in 2020, as a total of 210 cases were reported. A slight decrease of 206 was reported in 2021 and a dramatic decrease of 146 were reported in 2022. Despite the decrease seen over the years, it is still a trending offence within our society and requires special attention.
To reduce cases of this nature, legislators should move away from traditional ways of fighting such offences. The reality is technology is ever changing. It makes the discovery of fraudulent transactions hard to unearth; therefore, law enforcement agencies should move with the tide. As it stands there are a few forensic document examiners assigned to the Jamaica Constabulary Force. In its quest to fight against fraudulent cases, the Government should invest in human resources, equipment, and policies that will assist these examiners to execute their jobs in a timely manner.
Allowing the technology to increase without an innovative response from law enforcement cannot be considered a strategic move. Despite the 16 per cent reduction in murders, according to law enforcement, other offences might be on the increase; therefore, it is necessary that proper research is conducted in order to deal with the modernisation of technology.
Chevaugn Robinson
chevaugnrobinson@yahoo.com
