1,011 and not even December?!

That is the number of violent deaths in Puerto Rico at the time I'm writing this: record breaking statistics.  Like the slogan of a campaign a few years ago stated, all I can think is: Qué nos pasa Puerto Rico? (What is happening to us Puerto Rico?)

The current situation is out of control. Twelve homicides just over the weekend, which are not really surprising, but the fact that those twelve elevated the statistics to more than one thousand.  And what makes it worse is the increasing trend of homicides during the day, or like we say a plena luz del día. I remember the time where most homicides were committed during the night hours and when criminals used to hide in order to commit whatever crime. Now it is a different story and they have no respect for innocent lives.

It is truly sad the stories I hear or see on the news. A few weeks ago, I was appalled when reading on Facebook how one of my friends and colleagues witnessed first hand what I just mentioned. She was driving during the day in a highway when out of nowhere she heard strange sounds. When she looked over the rear-view mirror, she realized the sounds were gun shots from one car to another right then and there. She reacted quickly by going as far right as possible and ducking in her car until everything was over. That story was all over the news: an innocent little girl was rushed to the hospital because she had received a gun shot wound. In the car, there was also a four month old baby. What evil or wrong had they done? But the criminals, that were probably after someone else, did not care.

News like this is why I strongly believe in the rehabilitation of criminals. Many of these criminals are recidivists, committing crime after crime. Why? Because the prison system did not do its job, i.e., prisons were created in the 19th Century to reform the old punishment system of torture and physical punishment and turn it into a rehabilitative system. Michel Focault  Professor James Gilligan suggests, and I concur, that the government and society need to understand where does violent behavior come from and treated it as a mental health problem in order to prevent violence. If we did this, less people would become violent over time, thus reducing violent crimes. I wouldn't be surprised if we asked all these criminals in Puerto Rico about their past and conclude that they themselves were victims of violence, abuse or other similar behavior, which is why they in turn react the same way. 

The fact is that something needs to be done. It is clear that there is a problem and until it is not addressed, it will go on. I just will continue to pray everyday for my family and loved ones. God bless you all!