Treatment of Criminals

I write this blog in the context of the very sad death of Paddy Barry earlier today and although I don't wish to intrude on the Barry family and their deep grief, I do most certainly want to express my sympathy to them on the tragic and untimely death of their much loved father and grandfather.

There is nothing anyone can say to ease their grief and they face a trying time now, probably made worse by the glare of media attention. Please God, their justifyable anger will transmit into some positive action to deal with the issue raised by Keith - which is that these criminals have neither respect for, nor fear of, the law.

Why is that? The Gardai in my opinion, do a tremendous job on these sensitive cases. They liaise closely with the families and commit huge time, effort and resources into trying to bring those guilty parties to justice through the courts.

That, in my opinion though, can be where justice ends. In the courts. Very often, the sentence does not seem to fit the crime. I support Keith Barry and his call for at least wanting those found guilty to have to serve a minimum sentence. I think it would be a very good thing and perhaps those thinking of committing these type of crimes might think twice if they knew they would serve a good long sentence if caught and found guilty.

My problem though is that, regardless of how long they serve, those criminals invariably come out the other side of a prison sentence far worse, having served an 'apprenticship' in prison with violent criminals, in a possibly violent environment and then, they are released back into society - very seldom having 'learned their lesson' or as better, chastened, or even sorry people, never to err again.

So how do we break that circle? I wrote an article a number of years ago where I advocated that criminals should be sent to boot camp. Where they would learn discipline, respect for themselves and others and the value of hard work (as part of a custodial sentence or instead of one for lesser crimes).

At the time the 'sniggering classes' and PC brigade ridiculed that suggestion. Personally I still think the arguement holds, and is valid. Can anyone seriously argue to me that prison works? Yet what is the alternative? We certainly have to lock these kinds of people away. Society deserves to be protected.

But look at recent evidence. I need go no further than last weeks' news and the story about the sex offender who was released (twice) only to re-offend within hours (twice). Now I know that sex-offenders are a slighlty different case, but the principle remains the same. How much crime is committed by 'former' inmates? Almost all I would say, if you were to conduct an analysis certainly almost all of violent or dangerous crimes.

So by all means, I agree with Keith Barry: put them away. But please come up with some way to remediate them, to teach them self respect and discipline. Otherwise we just delay the day when they re-emerge into society as more violent, more hardened and more dangerous criminals. What does that achieve?

My suggestion is a type of boot camp because for sure - whatever is happening now, it's not working.

Again, my sincerest condolences to Keith and to his family. To lose a loved one in this manner is unimaginable torture. My thoughts are with them all.