Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination

Internal Assessment

Name of Candidates: Jael Howard, Jullicia Cambridge, and Stefon Skeete

Candidate Number: 090016

Centre Number:090016

Title: What is the correlation between economic conditions and the increased crime rates in

Wismar, Linden?

Territory: Guyana

Year of Examination:2022
 TITLE

What is the correlation between the socioeconomic status of a community and its crime rate?

HYPOTHESIS

The economic situation in Christiansburg Wismar, Linden increased crime.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT 1

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM 2

OBJECTIVES/ AIMS 3

METHODOLOGY 4

INSTRUMENT USED TO COLLECT DATA 5

PRESENTATION OF DATA 8

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS 15

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 18

BIBLIOGRAPHY 19
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The researcher would like to thank the Lord God Almighty and my colleagues’ teachers for their

assistance with this task.

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STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Recent studies have shown that Guyana's crime rate has risen rapidly over the last four

years. However, our economic system appears to be deteriorating as time passes, so can we

conclude that rising crime rates in Guyana are a result of the country's poor economic system?

As a result, the researcher's goal is to investigate the relationship between economic conditions

and increased crime rates.

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OBJECTIVES/ AIMS

o To ascertain the socio-economic status of residents living in Wismar.

o To determine the crime rate for larceny in the Wismar area.

o To identify ways to decrease the prevalence of larceny in Wismar.

o To identify other factors that may be causative factors for larceny in Wismar.
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METHODOLOGY

The researchers used primary and secondary sources to obtain data through the random sample

method. On February 6, 2023, at 3 p.m., 15 questionnaires with 12 questions were distributed

among the residents of Wismar and returned on the same day.

The researchers chose the textbook Commonwealth-Caribbean Law and Legal Systems, Second

Edition, by Rose Marie Belle Antoine as a secondary source since the author is a Trinidadian

scholar, attorney-at-law, and professor of labor law and offshore finance law. She is currently the

Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Board for Graduate Studies and Research at the University of the

West Indies, which means her work is credible, and she is considered an expert in Caribbean

labor and offshore financial law, making her research and opinions on these topics highly

sought-after
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INSTRUMENT USED TO COLLECT DATA

Christiansburg Wismar Secondary School
LAW
School-Based Assessment

Dear Respondents,

Jullicia Cambridge, Jael Howard, and Stefon Skeete, students of the

Christiansburg Wismar Secondary School invite you to participate in a research process as a

fulfillment of the CAPE Caribbean Studies School-Based Assessment based on “Crime Rate and

the economy”

The information gathered from you will not be used against you or cause harm it

is to “Determine the socio-economic status of the residents in Christiansburg Wismar, Linden

and ways in which this impacts criminal activity in the community” This is a voluntary process;

therefore, you can choose to participate and stop any time answering the questionnaire without

consequences.

Thank you for participating in the research process.

Please place a tick in a box

1. Agree to Participate

Do not agree

Yours respectfully,

Jael Howard

Jullicia Cambridge

Stefon Skeete
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1. Gender?
Male Female

2. Age?
20-25 26-30
31-35 Older

3. Ethnicity?
Amerindian East Indian Chinese
African European Portuguese

4. How would you describe the living conditions in this neighborhood?

Poor Well-off Fortunate Wealthy

5. How social class would you consider yourself to be a part of?

Upper-class Middle-class Lower-class

6. What is the crime rate for larceny in the Wismar area?

50% 86% 20% 65%

7. Has there been any recent increase in criminal activities in the neighborhood?
Yes No

8. What types of crimes are common in the area?

Burglary Pickpocketing Assault Robbery

9. What are some ways that you think would curb such actions?
Forming a community night watch
Putting up a surveillance camera
Have everyone in the neighborhood employed
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Having the entire neighborhood personally deal with the criminal

10. Why do you think individuals commit such deviant acts

Because of Poverty Greed Enjoyment

11. How often do criminal activities occur in the community?

1-2 twice a week once every month 3-4 weeks

12. How can you decrease the prevalence of larceny in the Christiansburg community?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

13. Suggest some ways the residents/government of the community can decrease the
problem?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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Presentation of Data

Table 1 showing , “Which social class would you consider yourself to be a part of?”

Options No. of Responses Frequency

Upper-Class 4 ||||

Middles-Class 8 |||| |||

Lower-Class 10 |||| ||||

Total 22 22

Chart shows the classes of individuals

18%

45%
Middle-Class
Upper-Class
Lower-Class

36%
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Fig 1 shows the social classes of the residents.

According to the pie chart above, when the researchers asked the 22 responders what social class

they belonged to, 18% responded with the middle class, 46% responded with the lower class, and

36% responded with the upper class," which means that the majority of the responders identified

as lower or upper class, with a small portion identifying as middle class. This distribution could

have implications for social and economic policies aimed at addressing inequality and class

divisions.

Table 2 showing, “Why individuals might commit crimes?”

Options No. of Responses Frequency

Because of poverty 7 |||| ||

Employment 7 |||| ||

Greed 8 |||| |||

Total 22 22
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Chart shows reasons why an individual might

commit a crime
8.2
8
7.8
No. of Responses

7.6
7.4
7.2
7
6.8
6.6
6.4
Poverty Employment Greed
Reasons

Figure 2. Shows that most residents believe that crimes are because is the person greedy.
When asked why the individuals commit such deviant acts, seven people stated, “It is because of

poverty. These respondents suggested that severe poverty makes people desperate, making them

more likely to conduct deviant acts like theft or assault; eight stated that they did these crimes

out of greed. While poverty and greed are undoubtedly factors in why people perpetrate deviant

behavior, there are likely many more complicated reasons, and another 7 respondents stated that

it was due to unemployment. The seven respondents who thought unemployment was a cause of

deviant behavior claimed that when people are unable to gainfully contribute to society, they are

more likely to engage in illegal activity to support themselves.

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Table 3 showing, “What is the crime rate for larceny in the Wismar area?”
Options No. of Responses Frequency

50% 2 ||

86% 6 |||| |

20% 1 |

65% 12 |||| |||| ||

Total 22 22

Chart showing the Crime rate for larceny in

the area

50% 86% 20% 65%

Figure 3. Shows the crime rate for larceny in the area

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According to the bar graph above, 12 residents replied and stated that there is a 65%

crime rate in the area, 6 of the residents replied and state that there is an 86% crime rate, while 2

of the respondents chose 50% and the remaining 1 chose 20%.

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Table 4 showing ,“Ways larceny can be reduced?”

Options No. Responses Frequency

Be Involve 2 ||

Increase Police Presence 5 ||||

Kill the Robber 3 |||

Arm the Residents 8 |||| ||||

Community Night Watch 2 ||

Total 22 22

Chart Showing Ways in Which the Residents

Believe they can Reduce Larceny
Suggestions by Residnts to deal with Larceny

Community Nigth Watch

Arm the Residents

Kill the Robber

Increase Police Presence

Be Involved

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Number of Responses

Figure 4 shows ways larceny can be reduced

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According to the bar chart above, the question was, "What are some ways you can decrease the

prevalence of larceny in the Christiansburg community two residents believed that a community

night watch needed to be put in place Five residents suggested increasing police presence in

high-larceny areas, while eight others recommended arming the residents; three residents

proposed killing the robber, and two said they would be involved. The community is divided on

how to address the issue of robberies While some residents proposed increasing police

involvement, others suggested arming residents themselves, and a few residents even went as far

as proposing killing robbers It's important for the community to come together and find a more

constructive solution.
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Interpretation of data

Based on the research that was conducted, larceny, which is the unlawful taking or carrying

away of personal property with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it permanently, has

become a serious issue in the Christiansburg community.

since most of the Christiansburg population considers their self-lower or upper class, with a

small portion identifying as middle class This suggests that the issue of larceny may be related to

economic factors because lower- and upper-class individuals may have a higher likelihood of

committing theft due to financial struggles or desires for material possessions, while middle class

individuals may have more stable financial situations and less motivation for theft. However, it is

important to consider other potential factors, such as access to resources and individual values

(Figures 1 and 2).

Despite this, Christiansburg's larceny rates have increased by 65%. This suggests that there may

be a connection between the rise in larceny rates and specific socioeconomic factors in

Christiansburg(figure 3), which should be further investigated to better understand the causes of

this trend and why some measures were implemented to reduce larceny in the Christiansburg

community. A community night watch needed to be put in place(figure 4). These measures need

to be put in place for the prevention and protection of the people of Christiansburg for a better

quality of life and to ensure that the community always remains safe and secure, especially

during nighttime when criminal activities tend to increase.

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Discussion of Findings

according to (RAMSEY, 2017),Guyana's crime rate has begun to rise in the past decade.

Crime is a leading indicator of economic failure, they stated that when crime increases, a

country's economic system tends to suffer as well. This is clear evidence that crime has an

impact on a country's economic system. According to the article, the relationship between crime

and the economy is complex and diverse, with crime frequently being both a cause and a result

of economic failure. As a result, combating crime in various ways, such as through education,

employment opportunities, and social welfare programs, can also help a country's economy

establish itself. The impact of Guyana's crime rate can be seen in the community of

Christiansburg. According to residents, the crime rate has risen significantly in recent years,

instilling fear and insecurity among the populace. To address the issue, the community has

increased security measures and collaborated with law enforcement.

According to data collected, the primary reason for the rapid increase in crime rates

across Guyana over the last four years is the average citizen's economic status (unemployment

and poverty). Understudy residents of the Wismar community have been found breaking several

laws, including simple larceny of act 21 of 1932 years of enactment , (Reporter, 2017)

Larceny is defined as the unlawful taking or carrying away of personal property with the

intent to deprive the rightful owner of it permanently. Everyone who commits simple larceny, the

value of the property stolen not exceeding sixty thousand dollars, shall be liable- where the

offense is in respect of an explosive within the meaning of the Explosives Acts, to a fine of not

less than forty thousand dollars nor more than eight thousand dollars or to imprisonment for
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three years. 2. Where the offense is in respect of a bicycle or any part thereof, to a fine of not less

than twenty-five thousand dollars nor more than fifty thousand dollars, or imprisonment for three

years; and 3. In all other cases, to a fine not less than twenty-five thousand dollars nor more than

fifty thousand dollars or to imprisonment for eighteen months. (Antoine, 2008)

This can further be seen in the case of [1995] 2 Cr App Rep 660 R v Wain (Law Teacher,

2021). The defendant raised funds for a company that distributed funds to charities by organizing

events. He transferred the funds he had raised into a special bank account, and then, with the

company's permission, into his bank account. He then dishonestly spent the money in his

account. The Court of Appeal ruled that he had appropriated property belonging to another

because the jury could find that he was a trustee of the money collected and had thus received it

subject to an obligation to retain its proceeds (the successive bank accounts) and deal with them

in a specific manner (to hand them over to the company). In this case, the defendant was

permitted to take some money however, the defendant had other plans and intentionally withheld

more than he should have. Therefore, the defendant would be found guilty of (obtaining property

through deception) and be charged.

In the case of Oxford v Moss [1979] Crime LR 119 (Law Teacher, 2021), ‘A student

borrowed an advance copy of an examination paper, copied the questions, and then returned the

paper. The Divisional Court held that he was not guilty of theft on the basis that information

could not be stolen. The paper on which the exam questions were typed was property belonging

to Liverpool University, but there was no evidence that the defendant intended to

permanently deprive the University of It.’

According to the findings of this research, 4 individuals of the Christiansburg Wismar

community considered themselves to be upper class while 8 chose a middle class and 10 selected
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lower class. When the question was asked as to reasons why individuals would commit crimes 7

believed that poverty may be the reason, 7 stated employment, and 8 selected greed. Two of the

22 respondents suggested that to reduce larceny you should be more involved, 5 suggested

increased police presence, 3 selected to kill the robber, 8 stated that they should arm the residents

and the remaining 2 suggested they should have a community night watch. When the question

was asked, “What is the crime rate for larceny in the Wismar area?” 2 responders selected 50%,

6 selected 86%, 1 selected 20% and the remaining 12 selected 65%.

Thus, it can be concluded that larceny is committed when a person intentionally deprives

the owner of their belongings with no intention of returning them and that it is punishable by the

law with imprisonment and a fine.

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Conclusion and Recommendations

Based on the research, it can be concluded that the increased crime rate is due to the

nation's economic status and vice versa. However, due to rising crime rates across the country,

residents of the Christiansburg community may have decided to collaborate with law

enforcement to reduce residents' fear and insecurity.

In addition, the researchers have developed suggestions that are likely to decrease the

increased crime rates in the Christiansburg community.

Firstly, it is suggested that the people of Christiansburg examine whether or not the

engagement of law enforcement and improved security is aiding in relieving residents' anxiety

and if it is aiding in any way in lowering their crime rates.

Secondly, the community representatives and Regional councils hold campaigns to

educate the public about the laws that govern them as they relate to crime and the retribution of

such acts.

Last but not least, it is suggested that the community create a business so that

unemployed individuals can find work and those who are employed but making little to no

money can improve their living conditions

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Bibliography

Antoine, R. M. (2008). Commonwealth Caribbean Law and Legal System. In R. M. Antoine,

Commonwealth Caribbean Law, and Legal System. 2 Park Square, Milton Park,

Abingdon, USA and Ca, a.

RAMSEY, G. (2017, April 30). Crime in Guyana. Reved from Guyana Chronicles:

https://guyanachronicle.com/2021/06/26/combating-crime/

Law Teacher, (2021, September 7), Theft case summaries,

https://www.lawteacher.net/cases/theft-cases.php
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DETAILED CRITERIA AND MARK SCHEME

COGNITIVE LEVEL 1 The candidate should be able to select and present an investigation
into a specific legal issue using appropriate legal concepts, principles,
Conceptual Knowledge
and theories.
Total 2 marks
Abilities The candidate has: Descriptors Title/Table of Contents/Aims Marks 2
1. selected a relevant legal issue  The title of the research is related to the objectives
within the scope of the syllabus and in the syllabus and the investigation is clearly stated
included a table of contents and table of contents is included
(maximum 1 mark)

 Research is outside the scope of the syllabus or not

2. stated the aim of the research
clearly stated
(maximum 1 mark)

 Aim of the research is relevant, unambiguous and

clearly

stated
 Aim of the research is irrelevant, ambiguous or not
clearly stated
COGNITIVE LEVEL 2 Use of The candidate should be able to analyze the legal problem being
Knowledge investigated by examining its constituent parts in detail, gathering
relevant data, and applying appropriate legal concepts to interpret and
Total 8 marks
explain the issues.
Abilities The candidate has: Descriptors Methodology Marks 2
3. Described the method and  The research design is realistic in its scope, and
procedures employed in conducting
appropriate for the study
the research

 The research design is very limited in its scope,

(maximum 2 marks)

Presentation of Data (Findings)

4. presented legal information in an
acceptable manner consistent with
the methodology used
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 The information presented is relevant to the aims

of the research and is clear, unambiguous and
(maximum 6 marks
meaningful

 The information presented is relevant to the aims

of the project, but lacks clarity

Abilities The candidate has: Descriptors Methodology Marks 3

5. used legal theories and concepts  Recognition of the limitations of legal information
and excellent use of legal theories and concepts for
for interpretation and analysis
interpretation and analysis

(maximum 3 marks)
 Satisfactory use of legal theories and concepts for
interpretation and analysis with some inaccuracies
6. presented correct conclusions
based on the findings of the research
 Attempted use of legal theories and concepts for
(maximum 3 marks)
interpretation and analysis

Recommendations

 Conclusions are sound, plausible and based on the

findings of the research

 Conclusions are sound but are not entirely

supported by the findings of the research

 Conclusions are flawed and not based on the

findings of the research
COGNITIVE LEVEL 1 The candidate should be able to observe international conventions
 Page | 23

Conceptual Knowledge of reporting by presenting information in a logical manner using

Total 4 marks Correct grammar.
Abilities Descriptors Marks
The candidate has: References 2
7. prepared a bibliography  For persons interviewed, the list comprises date,
place
acknowledging all sources of
and job title
information in alphabetical order
(excluding cases that are cited)
 For publications, the list comprises the names of
the
(maximum 2 marks)
author, publisher and year published

8. presented information in a logical

 For Internet sites, the list comprises the address of
manner using correct grammar the

(maximum 2 marks) website and names of authors and organizations

Any two done well
Any one done well
None done well
Communication of Information
 Information is presented in a very well organized
manner and ideas are communicated well using
correct
grammar sometimes

 Information is fairly well organized and ideas are

communicated satisfactorily using correct grammar
sometimes

 Information is very poorly organized and ideas are

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communicated poorly using correct grammar most of

the
time
Total