Garth Rattray | Crime, punishment and reform

I have absolutely no sympathy for anyone who goes out to commit crimes with a lethal weapon. Anyone who has no respect for life deserves anything that he/she gets. But I don’t believe in capital punishment. Even killers can be reformed.

Capital punishment has proven to be an ineffective deterrent. And, in the same way that criminals have no right to take a human life, neither does society. Killing killers only sends the message that killing is okay on some level. And, unless a malicious murderer is caught in the act, there is oftentimes doubt regarding his/her guilt.

Furthermore, in a country such as ours, no well-connected, famous, rich or upper-class murderer will ever face the death penalty.

Only lower-class, disenfranchised, misdirected youth will swing from the gallows.That said, I always avoid being judgemental or prejudicial towards convicts or ex-convicts. We never know what fate awaits us just around the corner.

No one can tell for certain if he/she might end up behind bars. A mistake, a lapse, an accident, a bad decision, a wrong move at the wrong time or being wrongly accused can land any of us in jail, and even prison. Prison should not only be punishment.I believe that all prisoners should be rehabilitated/reformed and made fit to rejoin society. Otherwise, we are only producing more hardened criminals. Prison should not only be punishment, it should be a place where people can improve themselves and come out better than when they went in.I also believe that, for there to be genuine reform, convicts should do some sort of reparation.

Some sentences require monetary compensation, but others require that fines be paid to the State only. Consequently, the victim(s) sometimes go away empty-handed and the pain and animosity continue. I believe that a convict who wrongs someone should be required to apologise directly to his/her victim or to the ones left behind.Convicts are whisked away and are usually totally separated from the rest of society. Of course, there are strange exceptions. Popular dancehall artiste Vybz Kartel continues to enjoy chart-topping hits while incarcerated in a maximum-security penal institution.

The women of Fort Augusta prison were able to broadcast their grouses on the Internet, not just once but twice.

Lax System

We are also told of criminals who continue ordering ‘hits’ (contract murders) from behind prison bars.lack of accountabilityWhat really bothers me about such failures is the absolute lack of accountability, especially to the nation. I have never heard of anyone directly or indirectly responsible for inmate security being made to answer to their superiors. If there is so much ease of influence from behind prison walls, which of us is safe? If some prison inmates can apparently carry on the important facets of their lives, where is the punitive aspect and reform of their incarceration? It should never be business as usual when one is imprisoned.As for Buju Banton.

His involvement in the conspiracy to traffic cocaine was really crazy. He knew darn well that his Boom Bye Bye song earned him loads of enemies, especially in North America.

That’s the very last place that he should break any rules. And, cocaine is frowned upon by the vast majority of Jamaicans. If he had transgressed by conspiring to traffic ganja, it would be wrong, but more in keeping with his cultural circumstance.Anyway, he did his time, and we understand that he furthered his education.

He has been welcomed home with wide open arms and overt adulation. I think it’s excessive but, more importantly, if Mr Myrie is truly reformed, he should help others by speaking out against the use of hard drugs and against the indiscriminate use of ganja. I’m certain that many would benefit from it.

- Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and garthrattray@gmail.com.