Dear Editor,

Recent acts of murder have led to the usual public discourse in which many prattle about the death penalty being the sole solution to the nation’s crime problem.

This opinion ignores or is ignorant of significant evidence from multiple studies which conclude that the death penalty is not a deterrent to crime.

Sadly, our political leaders are rarely better in this regard. Seldom are we given empirical evidence to justify a policy decision or explain the need for a new law.

In 2018, a senator, speaking about certain criminal elements, stated that it was his “belief” that we need to “hang them high”. When it comes to a well-researched topic, belief is a poor foundation upon which to stand.

In that same speech, the fear factor of being caught was raised. This should have been the crux of the presentation just as it should be one of the pillars of Jamaica’s crime-prevention strategy.

Again, numerous studies indicate that certainty of being caught is a more powerful deterrent than the punishment itself.

Therefore, the time spent blustering about the death penalty and increasing fines and sentences should be spent developing strategies to increase the investigative capacity of the police force.

The second pillar should be the inclusion of rehabilitation in Jamaica’s ‘corrections’ system.

Cognitive behavioural therapy has been proven to reduce recidivism. Research has also shown that every dollar invested in early intervention with delinquent juveniles results in multiplied savings due to reduced incarceration in the future.

Obviously, there are more options to tackle the problem of crime.

I encourage Jamaicans and especially the political leadership to consult with experts and conduct research to guide their debates.

Howard Wynand

howard.wynand@hotmail.com