Vigilante justice in Jamaica: The community against crime1

Abstract

Vigilante justice is not new to Jamaica, but recent public support for citizens to take action against alleged offenders outside the justice system has raised troublesome questions about the formal criminal justice system of this Caribbean island. This paper focuses on the roles of formal and informal social control mechanisms in developing countries. Specifically, it discusses the contribution of both informal and formal social control systems and the need to establish a balance for effective crime control. The paper questions developing nations’ emphasis on their own approach to crime control, suggesting that developing countries need to approach crime control through a social justice perspective