Background of the island-dwellers in Sri Lanka, and their propensity towards Criminality (In reference with Delft Island)

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.