In an effort to reduce the increasing number of crimes of violence in society, and to reduce the number of heinous murders that the country witnesses from time to time, security sources said the First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior and Acting Minister of Defense Sheikh Talal Al-Khalid has called on senior security leaders to develop new sophisticated security plans and unconventional strategy to confront the phenomenon of violence and criminal behavior in society, based on advanced and modern scientific methods to reduce crime and arrest the suspects and tightening control.
The sources said the minister also called for urgent action to address the disturbing phenomenon with the required seriousness, speed and accuracy required in implementation, and to submit a detailed report on the results, after the heinous crimes that society witnessed during the recent period, especially since some of them bleed hearts and others provoke terror and indicate a great danger in the community, reports Al-Qabas daily.
The sources indicated that the country witnessed about 255 various murders since the beginning of 2012, until the middle of last April, that is, during a period estimated at about 11 years and approximately 3 months, which means that two murders occurred per month in the country, and confirms that bloodshed happened due to the most insignificant reasons, and that the great change in the structure of society is becoming more apparent.
The sources confirmed that the prevalence and rise of violent crimes in society is due to several factors, including the increase in drug abuse among young people, the absence of oversight, family disintegration, the spread and ease of obtaining knives and firearms, the negative impact of social networking sites, the absence of a legal deterrent, and the recklessness of some young people.
Add to this the wasta, more often than not, interfering with law to suppress some cases and prevent punishment in other cases, in addition to the negative influence of the media, as well as the means of communication that are now transmitting daily forms of violence to young people.
The sources indicated that the security services identified several main factors related to the motives and causes of the murders that occurred in society during the recent period, the most important of which was revenge due to personal or family disputes, financial greed and attempts to seize the money of others, and drug abuse and addiction; trafficking in drugs, as well as quarrels, revenge and mental illness, in addition to disputes and marital and family problems.
The sources pointed out that the most prominent measures currently taken to confront violent crimes are the intensification of security points, especially in areas that record an increase in crimes, as well as the intensification of the security presence, the expansion of the search and arrest campaigns, fixed and mobile security patrols, and the monitoring the behavior of those who have been released from prison, securing events and celebrations, raising the level of readiness to face emergency crises, raising awareness of the seriousness of crime and ways to report it, strengthening the role of community police to confront wrong behaviors, and holding seminars in universities and schools to spread awareness among young people.
The sources stressed the need for all concerned authorities to move to investigate the causes of these crimes and put an end to them and address their motives, stressing that the increase in crime rates in Kuwait has become a matter of surprise, especially as they are foreign and alien crimes to our society, and show a significant and clear change in connection with them and their types and methods of committing them.
The sources confirmed that the competent security services spare no effort in taking all necessary measures to combat all types of crimes, maintain security, order and public morals, and enhance stability in the country, in an effort to achieve societal security, protect citizens, and preserve public and private property.
6 reasons for the rise in violent crime
— Increased drug use among young people
— Absence of oversight and family disintegration
— Easy access to knives and firearms
— The negative impact of communication sites
— Absence of a legal and social deterrent
— Intervention of the mediator to escape punishment
The most prominent measures to reduce violent crimes
— Intensifying security points in crime prone areas
— Increase the security presence in the streets
— Expanding the circle of research, control and suspicion
— Monitoring the newly released convicts from the prison
— Securing the sites of events and celebrations
— Raise awareness of the seriousness of crime and ways to report it
— Enhancing the role of community police
A recent statistics by the Ministry of Justice revealed that 976 cases of murder and self-assault are pending before the courts during the past 16 months. The statistics, of which Al-Qabas obtained a copy, showed from January 1 to December 31, 2022, 819 cases were registered. In addition, 157 cases were registered during the first quarter of 2023.