(“Wi Deal Wid It Wiself”): a Look at Life in the Jamaican Garrison by Marsha-Ann Tremaine Scott B.Sc., University of the West Indies, 2007
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We Deal With It Ourselves (“Wi Deal Wid it Wiself”): A Look at Life in the Jamaican Garrison by Marsha-Ann Tremaine Scott B.Sc., University of the West Indies, 2007 Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the School of Criminology Faculty of Arts & Social and Sciences © Marsha-Ann Tremaine Scott 2014 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Spring 2014 Approval Name: Marsha-Ann T. Scott Degree: Master of Arts (Criminology) Title of Thesis: We Deal With It Ourselves (“Wi Deal Wid it Wiself”): A Look at Life in the Jamaican Garrison Examining Committee: Chair: Bill Glackman, Ph.D. Associate Professor Brian Burtch, Ph.D. Senior Supervisor Professor Sheri Fabian, Ph.D. Supervisor Senior Lecturer Marlyn Jones, Ph.D. External Examiner Professor Division of Criminal Justice California State University Date Defended/Approved: March 21, 2014 ii Partial Copyright Licence iii Ethics Statement iv Abstract Created by the Jamaican political administration to garner support from the marginalized and socially excluded groupings in the inner city, the garrison has morphed into a counter society that subverts all forms of legitimate authority. Protected and led by dons who were originally appointed to carry out the dictates of the politicians, these men now possess full control of the garrison and have an unswerving allegiance from the members of these communities. The provision of opportunities for skills training, jobs, and education for members of these areas could possibly remove the state of dependency and ultimately the power that those possessing an abundance of wealth wield. The study includes semi-structured interviews with ten (10) participants from the community of August Town, Jamaica who provided insight into life in the garrison. Using the theory of social disorganization as a framework, the study uncovers that the Jamaican garrison is an incubator for criminals and criminal activity. Keywords: garrison communities; dons; political clientelism; drug trafficking; informal justice system; social disorganization v Dedication In loving and fond memory of Loraine Millicent Walker-Scott, no doubt I am doing what you would have done had you been on this side of the soil long enough. Thanks for those lives you touched during your short time here. I am convinced that the good you did is a part of my blessing today. To my participants, this manuscript would not have been possible without your thoughtful account of your experiences. To the people of my country, Jamaica, I will not be quiet until the “voice” of the “voiceless” is heard. vi Acknowledgements To my Creator and Promise-keeper, who fashioned me with a desire to help make a better world. My zeal to complete this task is an attribute for which I am eternally grateful. This final manuscript would not have been completed without the critical support of my supervisory committee, in the persons of Dr. Brian Burtch and Dr. Sheri Fabian. With professionalism and grace you so diligently guided me down a path that was unfamiliar territory. Your contribution is invaluable and I will be forever indebted to you both. Thanks a million for taking the plunge with me. Sheri, you are truly the “cornerstone.” Words escape me to express the abundance of gratitude I have for your commitment in assisting me see this project through. To my external examiner, Dr. Marlyn Jones: it was an absolute pleasure to have you on my committee and to receive such sound and helpful advice. Many thanks for taking the trip to attend the thesis defence. I truly appreciate your thoughtful comments and suggestions for this and future research. To Dr. Christopher Charles, of the University of the West Indies, thanks for your support during my data collection phase. Your research on this topic has served as a guide for the current study. Thanks for paving the way. Thanks to you, Dr. Garnett Roper of the Jamaica Theological Seminary for taking time out of your busy schedule to share your thoughts and perspective on the issue of crime and violence that affects our country. Your encouragement to pursue further studies on the impact of the garrison phenomenon is immeasurable. Pastor Andrew Bennett, your counsel and advice were a great source of strength and I am thankful for your continued support. I must give special thanks for the resources afforded through the Simon Fraser University’s library. When I began this research into the problems facing the people of my home country, I was concerned about the accessibility of information on the subject area. Suffice to say, I benefitted greatly from the resources of the SFU library, as there was not one piece of information that I needed to complete this project that was not available through the library’s multi-faceted servicing centres. This is simply a manifestation of SFU’s mantra –“Engaging the world.” Special thanks to my family: Randolph Sr., Susan, Randolph Jr., Shernae, and Daneille. Susan (Moms), for your prayers and checking in to make sure I was managing the stresses of school. Your constant prayers made the task less daunting. Thank you vii Randolph Jr., for your assistance in providing participants for this study and for constantly reminding me that there is nothing that I cannot do with God’s help. Shernae, my number one cheerleader, you pushed me beyond my limits by implicitly reminding me of my responsibility as your big sister. And to daddy (Randolph Sr.), your passion for knowledge is my inheritance from you – a passion that often takes me out of my comfort zone in pursuit of it. And to the family that God has blessed me during my sojourn here: Joy, Damilola, Chiaka, Priye, Mona-Lisa, Ruky, Colin, Obe, Shansi and Curtis, you my friends have made the journey that less of a challenge with your constant encouragements, pep talks and prayers. viii Table of Contents Approval ............................................................................................................................. ii Partial Copyright Licence .................................................................................................. iii Ethics Statement ............................................................................................................... iv Abstract .............................................................................................................................. v Dedication ......................................................................................................................... vi Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... vii Table of Contents .............................................................................................................. ix List of Tables .................................................................................................................... xii Glossary .......................................................................................................................... xiii Chapter 1. Introduction ................................................................................................ 1 1.1. Jamaica: The “land of wood and water” ................................................................... 1 1.2. Where it all began – The research and the researcher ............................................ 5 1.3. The research site ..................................................................................................... 6 Chapter 2. Literature Review ....................................................................................... 9 2.1. The garrison defined: “A veritable fortress” ............................................................ 13 2.2. Creation of the “monster” and its evolution ............................................................ 15 2.2.1. The don and his “band of merry men” ........................................................ 18 2.3. The Jamaican political landscape .......................................................................... 21 2.3.1. The politics of pre-independent Jamaica and its impact ............................ 23 2.3.2. Where are we today? ................................................................................. 24 2.4. The informal system ............................................................................................... 26 Chapter 3. Theoretical Framework: The Garrison and Criminological Theory ....................................................................................................... 30 3.1. Social disorganization theory ................................................................................. 30 3.2. Tests of social disorganization theory .................................................................... 32 3.3. Critiques of social disorganization research .......................................................... 33 3.4. Social disorganization and the current study ......................................................... 34 3.4.1. Urbanization ............................................................................................... 37 3.4.2. Poverty or low socio-economic status ........................................................ 38 3.4.3. Broken homes or disrupted families ........................................................... 40 3.5. Cultural transmission and the creation of subcultures ........................................... 40 Chapter 4. Research Methods ..................................................................................