Monday’s report that 40 inmates of the Pointe Blanche prison had received certificates for completing various courses was most welcome. There have been a lot of problems at the much-criticised penitentiary, but it’s important to note good things are also happening.
This newspaper has always maintained that especially violent crimes should lead to severe punishment of those responsible. This is necessary to act as deterrent and protect society as well as the local tourism economy on which the livelihood of practically every inhabitant depends.
However, it should not be so either that people are detained for years in what is, after all, called a correctional institution, without being rehabilitated. When that happens, justice tends to become a revolving door with many repeat offenders.
Those involved in trying to educate prisoners deserve credit for doing so under often difficult circumstances. Even if these efforts were to stop just one convict from ending up behind bars again soon after his or her release, that would already be a major plus.
It’s been said before: to be truly effective, repression and prevention must go hand in hand. Prison is by no means supposed to be fun, but time served should also be used in a constructive manner to help improve future behaviour whenever possible.
