Jail, not fine them! Harsher penalties for drug offenders
Published:Monday | April 1, 2013 | 12:00 AM
Mark Titus, Gleaner Writer
Despite successes in their fight against the illegal drug trade, Jamaican law enforcers, with their limited resources, are dwarfed by the monstrous financial influence of corruption and organised crime.
As a result, Jamaica has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and the second-highest rate of gun murders. The island is a key trans-shipment point for drug-running between the cocaine-producing South American countries and the United States, and it is also the largest producer of marijuana in the region.
What has evolved over decades is a nexus between violence, corruption and the illegal drug trade, which the island's law enforcers have recognised and are aggressively trying to combat.
"It is without question very difficult, given the limited resources that we have," said a senior crime fighter who did not wish to be named.
"Our responsibility is not only for the 2.7 million residents of the country. We are required to keep watch over 638 miles of coastline, with the open seas for go-fast vessels, and an unbelievable number of airstrips," he said.
The senior law enforcer expressed disillusionment with the "lack of support for numerous anti-crime measures which are necessary and slow in coming". He told The Gleaner that punishment for drug traffickers in Jamaica is too light and does not deter offenders.
"A person convicted of drug trafficking in the USA Canada, and the UK or the Cayman Islands can expect to spend upwards of five years in prison. All the persons extradited from Jamaica to the USA between 2004 and 2005 have been handed lengthy prison sentences," he explained.
Making reference to Mark Myrie's (Buju Banton) and Christopher Coke ('Dudus') 10 and 20 years' respective sentences for drug-related and illicit-trafficking offences, the officer said no one convicted for trafficking offence in Jamaica will spend more than two years in prison.
"In Jamaica, research has shown that most drug traffickers convicted are given fine options during sentencing. This is what is provided for. The policy log fails to recognise the links between transnational organised crime, murder and lack of development," said the senior crime fighter.
Short prison sentences, he explained, undermine any incentive for plea bargaining and denies the State any opportunity for recruiting state witnesses from among convicted traffickers, who could themselves help to bring down entire cartels and expose high-level corruption.
"Our approach to treatment of drug traffickers strengthens the cartels, denies law enforcement an opportunity to extract evidence from vulnerable convicts, fuels corruption, enforces the code of silence, shields drug cartels and key facilitators from exposure and criminal prosecutions and attracts more trafficking activities in and through Jamaica," he outlined.
Punishment for drug traffickers in Jamaica is too light and does not deter offenders.
>>Solution: Tougher on drugs
The following responses have been suggested:
Deny bail to the persons arrested for drug-trafficking crimes, especially those arrested on ports and borders.
Fast-track trials for all persons convicted for serious drug offences.
Apply mandatory minimum prison time with no fine option for conviction on serious drug crimes (No less than 10 years).
Offer incentive for guilty plea or agreement to give evidence against partners in crime. The earlier the guilty plea, the better the incentive.