When it comes on to matters of death, and especially violent death as is too often the case in Jamaica, it is never easy for someone to find out that their loved one is gone forever.

There are, however, ways to break the news as gently as possible and provide a measure of support for the immediate grieving process.

That was not Jacqueline Lawrence's experience on Tuesday night, when her son, Orette Campbell, was murdered. As THE STAR reported yesterday, gunmen opened fire on the car her son was travelling in and he was killed, along with Raymond 'Big Head' Sinclair. The car crashed into a light pole and Lawrence was among a group of persons who went to investigate after the shooting had subsided.

One can only imagine her shock and horror when she saw that her son had been shot, as it turned out, fatally.

Violence leaves physical and psychological scars. While the effects of the former are obvious, the latter are often overlooked and go untreated. There is sure to be a long-effect on Lawrence of unexpectedly seeing her son dead, with absolutely no preparation at all. It could even lead to a mental breakdown.

The details of each incident of this nature may be different, but sadly psychological trauma of this sort is repeated in Jamaica over and over again. But while it is impossible to provide professional counselling to everyone affected, it is important that those around the loved ones of the dead realise that they need to look out for the psychological sores, long after the dead have been buried.