Justice - an unfailing test of civilisation

12/01/2007

I was interested to read Evan Jones's panacea for eliminating crime together with the criminal ('What Justice?" MT January 2007). It might be helpful if he read a little social history.

From long before the times of the Greeks, societies have used all kinds of instruments of torture, including the death penalty to deter others from committing crimes. None have achieved the success Mr Evans suggests. In fact in simple terms his methods would purely be revenge.

 

Perhaps if we followed the example of the Scandinavian countries, Finland, Norway and Sweden, who are prepared to spend money on reducing causal factors of crime, and also on meaningful rehabilitation, beginning drirng a prison sentence, our crime rates may be as low as theirs.

To quote Winston Churchill when he was Home secretary in 1912: "The mood and temper of the public in regard to the treatment of crime and criminals is one of the most unfailing tests of the civilisation of any country. Tireless efforts towards the discovery of curative and regenerating processes, and an unfaltering faith that there is a treasure, if you can find it, in the heart of every man  - these are the symbols which in the treatment of crime and criminals mark and measure the stored-up strength of a nation and are the sign and living virtue in it".


Norman Richards, Christchurch