Dear Editor,

The headline “Man on bail for rape allegedly rapes seven more times” in the Jamaica Observer of June 28, 2013 gives me, and no doubt other readers, cause for serious concern. It seems that criminals all the way are getting a “bly”.

When we think about it, not so long ago a man on bail for murder allegedly killed an honest man and stole his car in Junction, St Elizabeth; another killed a policeman in Malvern in St Elizabeth. And now an alleged member of an infamous Spanish Town gang is suing the Government for wrongful arrests. To top all of this, the police allowed one man to plea bargain even though they had both forensic and eyewitness evidence.

It seems that the only person for whom there is no “bly” is the victim.

It is clear that the lack of sanctions for judges who make numerous lapses in judgments have resulted in judicial indifference to victims. The judges ought to be acting in the interest of the innocent public at large, not the perpetrators and their high-profile lawyers.

The laws of every country are modelled off the Mosaic Law, given to Moses by God some 3,500 years ago. There was no hesitation then in applying prompt sanctions to the guilty ones. In fact, there was no prison because the sanctions required immediate trial and fair reparation from the guilty as dictated by God. He himself tells us: “Because sentence against a bad work has not been executed speedily, that is why the heart of the sons of men has become fully set in them to do bad.” (Eccl 8:11)

Poor decision of judges and jurors and a highly compromised justice system are major contributors to our crime problem. There ought to be follow-up by way of scientific studies of the rates of recidivism of criminals with a view to holding both judges and criminals responsible for their behaviours via meaningful sanctions as is merited by their actions.

Elaine Hope

avideducator@hotmail.com