Prison may not be the best punishment for some offenders

Oct 24, 2014 Letters

Dear Editor,
I wish to reference Freddie’s article in your newspaper dated 10-22-14 about the preposterous actions of some magistrates on certain rulings. I don’t often agree with his opinions, but this subject has really hit me in the gut where I felt as a Guyanese, I must speak out.
I keep abreast with the news in Guyana and I am confounded when I hear my fellow Guyanese going to jail for petty crimes, where the government must provide room and board to prisoners for these simple offences. I see almost on a daily basis where a magistrate has the option to use alternative means in sentencing for petty crimes, but
instead is willing to separate a family and send the offender to jail. I cannot comprehend this “jail them” mentality by certain magistrates, and what is so very sad, many of these offenders have no prior criminal record, no prior conviction, no prior police contact.
I can see why Freddie is banging his head against the wall because not only are these rulings senseless, but because intelligent Guyanese who are in a position to voice their opinion and displeasure, are taking a back seat to this disparity.
When you examine the Justice system in democratic countries around the world and then look at the Guyanese Judicial System, one has to ask why is this happening. Why are people being jailed for petty crimes, is it because we want to teach them a lesson?
Instead of overburdening the Camp Street Prison with low levels offenders, why not have alternative programs in place to address this issue. Incarcerating people for these
crimes is a vicious cycle that needs to be stopped.
For many non-violent low level offences, prison may not be the most sensible method of punishment, especially those that pose no threat to public safety. Offenders of these violations could be addressed by supervision, restitution, and community service to co-inside with a probationary period thus giving them a chance to contribute to society.
I would respectfully ask of magistrates to refrain from this kind of mentality and to be humane when dealing with offenders who commit petty crimes, especially when dealing with juveniles. Instead of incarceration let us think about rehabilitation.
Jagmohan

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