Youth unemployment forces youth to commit a crime
“Today there is an increase in drug cases and it is a serious matter. Police are looking into it seriously,” said Colonel Passang.
The deputy chief of the crime operation branch, colonel Passang claimed that the police will take serious measures and implementation. He stated that the police intensified patrolling, checking, and encouraging lesser movement at night.
“Those who are arrested in the drug or battery cases, we will not take it lightly. We are going to take serious actions and we are going to go into the depths from where they got the drugs. We are looking into the dealers, not the abuser,” said the crime operation officer.
He further explained: “Abusers are going to be liable for abusing but we want to get into the root by getting into who is the dealer from where the drug is coming. That’s why we are already taking serious measures and we are going to take some actions.”
Despite the police’s efforts, the officer said that drug dealing only increased because there are so many people wanting to make fast money.
The deputy chief of the police said that the police are carrying out a sensitization program on the youth and crime. He made a presentation on youth crime-related topics like sexual harassment and rape cases
He asked, “Why do you think sexual harassment is coming up? You think the individual’s taking responsibility. If you move at night carelessly and negligently in such a dress-up, everybody will try to harass you. Isn’t it?
The police officer shared his experience and said, “You move at night. At night if you move around at 9 and 10 pm what do you expect sober people and old people and all?
“You have freedom but you have a responsibility. To take care of yourself. Isn’t it?” he asked again.
According to the police, most of the cases are mostly because of alcoholism and drug abuse. Youths are involved in battery, assaults, and stabbing cases. Also, youth are observed loitering around late at night and bullying and fighting in schools for silly and small reasons.
“We do not know now whether these people are having parents,” said the police.
He stated that youth should realize their responsibility and be responsible for themselves. Police check whether or not they have parents or guardians when they get in conflict with the law.
“And parents have to be responsible. Teachers have to be responsible if it is a student. Everybody has to be responsible and help control such problems among the youth these days,” said the police officer.
Yet, there’s no proper record of the cases reported for various incidents with the police officials. Thus, it’s ambiguous to draw a clear picture of youth engagement in a particular sort of nuisance they create to tackle the problem.
The police officer said, “We can’t say whether alcohol abuse is more or the battery case is more. Sometimes fighting cases among youth is more and sometimes drug abuse cases are more. At times the case increases and other times the cases involving youth decrease.”
The police officer claimed that the crime rate among youths depends on the time and the situation. He also said, “It depends on how the law enforcement agencies put the control measures in place.”
Police stations mostly see major alcohol-related cases and drug smuggling cases, followed by battery cases leading to stabbing cases.
The officer claimed that battery and stabbing cases were rampant in the last few months. However, such cases have dropped as the police increased patrolling and control measures in place.
According to the police official, most of the crimes and troubles are reported in Thimphu, followed by Paro, Phuntsholing, Gelephu, Samdrup Jongkhar, and other Dzongkhags.
Although the majority of youth coming in conflict with the law are male, there are also some female youths causing unnecessary problems.
Colonel Passang explained that about 60 percent of the population are youth. He said, “Youth unemployment rate is very high so I will say there is almost 39 percent are male and 61% are females.”
The officer also said that of the total arrest, about 35 percent according to the statistics of 2019-2021 are youth.
“Comparatively, if we do overall comparison youth is a little bit lesser than the normal criminal.”
The police also claimed that the crime rate also depends on the size of the population. Thimphu has lots of youth. Hence, more youth are involved. Whereas some other places where all the youth are in the hostel are under control.
Colonel Passang said, “Maybe youth in other places are also jobless wanderers or doing small works. It may be them. We can’t determine it is exactly how it is. It is all situational issues.”
Depending on the case, police charge sheets the cases to the court. “The court must decide how much punishment they will receive.”
Also, by going through the detention room occupancy, it seems like the crime rates have reduced this time. The officer said, “As of now, the detention room is not overcrowded. Sometimes it gets overcrowded.
“Situation depends on the enforcement in place and strictness of the enforcement. Sometimes there are 50 to 60 cases a day and the next day it drops to 10 to 20. And sometimes just 2 or 3 cases. Hence depending on the situation, the congestion in detention rooms also depends,” said the officer.
The detention room is meant for 100 capacities. “Sometimes in a 100-capacity detention room, we hold about 150-160 because of more people arrested. Civil cases, criminal cases, and sometimes it falls below. It depends on the crimes and the cases and the people arrested,” explained the police officer.
“Today there is an increase in drug cases and it is a serious matter. Police are looking into it seriously,” said Colonel Passang.
The deputy chief of the crime operation branch, colonel Passang claimed that the police will take serious measures and implementation. He stated that the police intensified patrolling, checking, and encouraging lesser movement at night.
“Those who are arrested in the drug or battery cases, we will not take it lightly. We are going to take serious actions and we are going to go into the depths from where they got the drugs. We are looking into the dealers, not the abuser,” said the crime operation officer.
He further explained: “Abusers are going to be liable for abusing but we want to get into the root by getting into who is the dealer from where the drug is coming. That’s why we are already taking serious measures and we are going to take some actions.”
Despite the police’s efforts, the officer said that drug dealing only increased because there are so many people wanting to make fast money.
The deputy chief of the police said that the police are carrying out a sensitization program on the youth and crime. He made a presentation on youth crime-related topics like sexual harassment and rape cases
He asked, “Why do you think sexual harassment is coming up? You think the individual’s taking responsibility. If you move at night carelessly and negligently in such a dress-up, everybody will try to harass you. Isn’t it?
The police officer shared his experience and said, “You move at night. At night if you move around at 9 and 10 pm what do you expect sober people and old people and all?
“You have freedom but you have a responsibility. To take care of yourself. Isn’t it?” he asked again.
According to the police, most of the cases are mostly because of alcoholism and drug abuse. Youths are involved in battery, assaults, and stabbing cases. Also, youth are observed loitering around late at night and bullying and fighting in schools for silly and small reasons.
“We do not know now whether these people are having parents,” said the police.
He stated that youth should realize their responsibility and be responsible for themselves. Police check whether or not they have parents or guardians when they get in conflict with the law.
“And parents have to be responsible. Teachers have to be responsible if it is a student. Everybody has to be responsible and help control such problems among the youth these days,” said the police officer.
Yet, there’s no proper record of the cases reported for various incidents with the police officials. Thus, it’s ambiguous to draw a clear picture of youth engagement in a particular sort of nuisance they create to tackle the problem.
The police officer said, “We can’t say whether alcohol abuse is more or the battery case is more. Sometimes fighting cases among youth is more and sometimes drug abuse cases are more. At times the case increases and other times the cases involving youth decrease.”
The police officer claimed that the crime rate among youths depends on the time and the situation. He also said, “It depends on how the law enforcement agencies put the control measures in place.”
Police stations mostly see major alcohol-related cases and drug smuggling cases, followed by battery cases leading to stabbing cases.
The officer claimed that battery and stabbing cases were rampant in the last few months. However, such cases have dropped as the police increased patrolling and control measures in place.
According to the police official, most of the crimes and troubles are reported in Thimphu, followed by Paro, Phuntsholing, Gelephu, Samdrup Jongkhar, and other Dzongkhags.
Although the majority of youth coming in conflict with the law are male, there are also some female youths causing unnecessary problems.
Colonel Passang explained that about 60 percent of the population are youth. He said, “Youth unemployment rate is very high so I will say there is almost 39 percent are male and 61% are females.”
The officer also said that of the total arrest, about 35 percent according to the statistics of 2019-2021 are youth.
“Comparatively, if we do overall comparison youth is a little bit lesser than the normal criminal.”
The police also claimed that the crime rate also depends on the size of the population. Thimphu has lots of youth. Hence, more youth are involved. Whereas some other places where all the youth are in the hostel are under control.
Colonel Passang said, “Maybe youth in other places are also jobless wanderers or doing small works. It may be them. We can’t determine it is exactly how it is. It is all situational issues.”
Depending on the case, police charge sheets the cases to the court. “The court must decide how much punishment they will receive.”
Also, by going through the detention room occupancy, it seems like the crime rates have reduced this time. The officer said, “As of now, the detention room is not overcrowded. Sometimes it gets overcrowded.
“Situation depends on the enforcement in place and strictness of the enforcement. Sometimes there are 50 to 60 cases a day and the next day it drops to 10 to 20. And sometimes just 2 or 3 cases. Hence depending on the situation, the congestion in detention rooms also depends,” said the officer.
The detention room is meant for 100 capacities. “Sometimes in a 100-capacity detention room, we hold about 150-160 because of more people arrested. Civil cases, criminal cases, and sometimes it falls below. It depends on the crimes and the cases and the people arrested,” explained the police officer.
