Abstract:
Neduntheevu or Nedunthivy (Tamil), Delft (Sinhala and also known by Dutch ) is an island situated in
the Palk Strait of Northern Sri Lanka. Delft is a flat island surrounded by shallow waters and beaches
of coral chunks and sand. Delft is one of about 17 islands situated in a close proximity to Jaffna
peninsula in Sri Lanka. Delft is the largest island out of the 17 islands also the furthest located island
from the main land. There are identifiable significances of the communities living in islands and the
related socio-economic and cultural backgrounds in comparison to the same of the people living in the
main land. The key objective of this research paper is to identify the socio-economic, cultural and the
geographical environment and to pursue the studies further to analysis the attributed tendency on
criminal actions in particular within the aforementioned background. Generally, the public opinion is
that those families living with lesser privileges and with the strident lifestyles show higher
propensities to embrace in frequent crimes.Based on such phenomenon, further diagnosis to be
endeavored through this study to substantiate whether the inferior life styles of island-dwellers
which are much adverse compared to the families living in the main land, are factors affecting for
higher rate of crimes or not. Therein. the study was focused directly on 25 families living in Delft
island as a random sample, did discussions, observations, case studies, focused group discussions and
the chain of discussions as well evolved in the study. The methodical analysis evolved on the data
confirmed that the tendency of island-dwellers to involve in crimes represented rather low indicator of
6 % despites, the fact that their living in an adverse condition in comparison to those living in the
main land. The above reported percentage of crimes too, were related to credit transactions, defaulted
borrowers, stealing cattle, goats etc.
