In recent years, the subject of crime in Bermuda has been discussed with mixed views as to what is motivating such activity. This continues to affect the tone of our society in relation to values that many years ago allowed Bermudians to leave windows and doors open during the summer months without fear of intrusion.

That practice ended years ago and, while some may be in denial, illegal drug activity has generated addicts in all walks of life, with gangs operating by their own set of rules to maintain an underworld trade from one end of the island to the other. This despite the efforts of police and community groups, who toil 24/7 to combat illegal substance abuse.

In the grip of a tight economy, addicts who depend on their “fix” to survive from day to day could find themselves hard-pressed to meet the cost of sustaining an expensive habit that exceeds their financial abilities. Desperation could set in to a point where the only thing that matters is getting that next high, without concern over consequences.

There have been countless stories over the years involving people stealing from family members to purchase illegal drugs. Some families have struggled behind closed doors over what to do before not informing police. They often hope the situation could be solved within the family. That is understandable, but in reality that approach could end up being more harmful to someone in need of professional help with addiction.

A perception throughout our communities is that many of the recent robberies are more connected to the illegal drug world rather than seeking money unlawfully to purchase food for families in need. With our small population, and most Bermudians able to detect a sneeze from another parish, it seems logical to assume people know more about the extent of our illegal drug problem than they care to admit.

Remember, without customers the illegal drug business would collapse like a punctured balloon.

When addicts become desperate, and they often do, no one is really safe from potential criminal acts that carry the possibility of injury, or worse. Community safety becomes a significant concern because there are children and the elderly, and an addict over the edge is beyond caring about who gets hurt in what they do in feeding a dangerous habit.

Although no society is free of crime, the extent varies according to population size and geographical location. Bermuda is still a beautiful place with enormous promise, but unless there is honesty and truth in tackling a trend that is corroding the values that made this island special, we all could be in for a rude awakening.

Police, religious and community leaders, along with our warring politicians, will never be able to reverse this trend without full co-operation from every law-abiding citizen. There lies the real challenge because we are very much into that era of “what my child does is none of your business”. That attitude has even created problems in the field of education, especially since discipline as we once knew it hardly exists today.

Incidents of people being attacked and robbed both at home and on the job may appear as isolated criminal acts, but for victims most are left in a state of shock and confusion with diminishing confidence that Bermuda is the safe place that it is made out to be. Police do a fine job in trying to bring perpetrators to justice, and for that the island is grateful. But with culprits brandishing lethal weapons when committing crime, risk is greater for everyone.

Our communities need to feel safe, and we also need to keep our island home a place where others would want to spend time with us. This can be achieved only with greater co-operation throughout our communities.