Clayton: No evidence death penalty drives down crime
Published:Friday | April 8, 2022 | 12:08 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
With calls growing for the death penalty to be reinstated in the island, Charles Clayton, the director of the Planning Institute of Jamaica’s Community Renewal Programme, has cautioned that there is no evidence that capital punishment leads to a reduction in crime and violence in countries that practise it.
Clayton made the declaration on Thursday during his keynote address at the second day of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s inaugural security summit in Rose Hall, St James.
“Some people believe that all we need to do is to resume hanging and it (crime) will stop. There is no data around the world that suggests that those countries that have capital punishment have a higher rate of success in terms of fewer violent incidents than those that do not,” said Clayton.
“In fact, some of the most peaceful countries are those that do not include capital punishment in their menu of options. There is a need for a societal response, but resources are scarce, and except we combine our resources, the social environment cannot be properly tackled,” Clayton added, referencing the societal circumstances that contribute to crime and violence.
HOLNESS’ REMARKS CONDEMNED
Last November, Prime Minister Andrew Holness asserted that if he were to have his way, criminals convicted for illegal possession of a firearm would be liable to face the death penalty.
Holness’ remarks, which were made during the Jamaica Labour Party’s 78th annual conference, were subsequently condemned by attorney-at-law Bert Samuels as barbaric and a trespass on Jamaica’s judiciary.
Capital punishment is still on Jamaica’s law books but may only apply in certain aggravated murder convictions. There have been no executions carried out under Jamaican law since 1988, when Nathan Foster was hanged after being convicted of murder.
In 1993, the United Kingdom based Privy Council ruled that it was inhumane to have a convict waiting for more than five years to be executed.
At present, Trinidad and Tobago remains the only English-speaking Caribbean country that has retained mandatory death penalty for murder.
Clayton also noted that long-term exposure to violent actions in the home contributes to – and may exacerbate – Jamaica’s decades-long desensitisation to violence.
“We seem not able to settle disputes without resorting to violence, and many of our children grow up exposed to violence. We do have a problem, and that problem is deep-seated,” said Clayton.
His observations came shortly after National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang made a call for Jamaicans to give more positive reinforcement to young people, particularly young men.
“Too many times our young men live as if life is not worth it. They need to feel that they have equity in society, and if we work together, we can reverse this trend,” said Chang. “At our hearts, Jamaicans are not people who like to hurt each other, and now we need to restore that.”