Crime in Trinidad and Tobago: the possible impacts of increased crime due to migration from Venezuela

Abstract

ABSTRACT Trinidad and Tobago has been subjected to rising crime over the last decade; there is now concern that increased migration from Venezuela will add to this trend, leaving the host government less equipped to deal with the rising phenomenon. The 2019 amnesty granted by the government to undocumented Venezuelan migrants has increased concerns related to the socioeconomic and security impact of this migration flow; this has subsequently been transmuted to a rising ‘anti-Venezuelan’ sentiment in the country. This article seeks to interrogate the real and perceived impact of this influx of Venezuelans on crime and security in Trinidad and Tobago by evaluating media reports and articles published on the issue, and reviewing the literature on the rising crime rate in Trinidad and Tobago. It was noted that the media has contributed to an increasing sentiment of suspicion and paranoia towards Venezuelan immigrants which serves to anecdotally attribute increased crime levels to this group. Further, as there is a dearth of official statistics to differentiate the criminal activities of the Venezuelans vis-à-vis the Trinidad and Tobago nationals, it is hard to definitively attribute increases in crime to the migrants. The authors conclude with the presentation of potential policy recommendations to address the issues.