THE EDITOR, Sir:

I have been distraught about the recent rape and murder of our women and children. We have to find a speedy way to punish the guilty men. We have to catch them, and hopefully DNA tests will confirm the rape, once reported and swabs taken.

I do not feel that execution is the answer. Execution is likely to be counterproductive, as previously stated: "If the offenders know that they do not face any greater risk for killing the victim than they do for raping the victim, what is their incentive for letting the victim live?"

Nor should these men be allowed to take up space in our jails for any length of time; however, a system must be devised for them to have a speedy trial and the sentence carried out immediately, once convicted. Maybe a special court could be set up until we get this matter under control.

Perhaps castration, or public flogging and then tagging electronically may be the answer, as these men are likely to retaliate against the families and persons that report them. We cannot allow these men to languish in jail and be a burden to the taxpayer.

LESS EXPENSIVE

While I understand that these recommendations will all incur significant costs, they will be less expensive than indefinite incarceration.

I notice in The Gleaner dated October 3, 2012, a man has been sentenced to 40 years for rape! Why would we feed and clothe this rapist for 40 years?

Fathers have to get far more proactive and our women must get more vocal and take some form of action when they are aware of what is happening in their homes.

INGRID ZIADIE

ingrid.ziadie@gmail.com

Kingston 8

Our prisons are already overcrowded.

Can we not go back to hard manual labour where something productive can be accomplished?

in protecting their children,