THE recent pardoning of 11 women for the Christmas Holidays — all mothers who were incarcerated for minor offences — has attracted from some quarters criticism, most of which was coated with the usual political hue.

One section of the media even went as far as to pronounce in a screaming headline that President David Granger has pardoned more criminals. The President, on assumption to office following the historic May 11 elections, had pardoned 60 youths who were all minor offenders.

In his defence, the Head of State, in exercising the powers vested in him in Article 188 of the Constitution, differed with the views expressed, contending that he acted out of compassion. And for many, the women needed to be with their children, as the crimes they had committed were not that grave as to make any of them a menace to society. The views in regard to the young men were not different, since it was felt that they would better serve society if they were given a chance to reform, rather than being wasted away in prison.

Of course, there were some who held strongly to the view that ‘if you do the crime, you must do the time.’ Seldom would one disagree that reprimand must accompany illegal acts; but, in Guyana, like any other society, without condoning an act of wrong, it would be more than prudent to examine the crime committed in context. No society in the world is free of crime; and here, there is a discernable pattern of those who pass through the courts for crimes factually or allegedly committed, particularly minor offences. From a cursory glance of reports from the many local news sources, the vast majority of the offenders are between ages 18 and 30, a significant number of whom are unemployed; are school dropouts, or did not have a sound education; and are from the lower strata of society.

Many are from broken homes; had an unsupervised upbringing; and though they doubtless know what’s right from wrong, because of their lack of education, they exhibit a notable lack of appreciation of proper mores and values. This problem, coupled with bad company and lack of opportunities to earn a living, inevitably makes it difficult for some to resist the temptation to walk the straight and narrow path in life.

And with the absence of a strong family support system, they eventually become ensnared in the world of crime and naturally contravene the law. But sadly, the punishment meted out to them, especially minor offenders, do little — if anything at all — to reform them. This is not to say that persons should not be punished for crimes committed, but sentences of more than a year for minor offences seem more focused on exacting punishment than influencing reform.

In fact, their placement with seasoned offenders of the law, taken together with the stigma of being imprisoned and their frustrations in life, do little to change them positively. And worse yet, from all indications, the lengthy sentences – that is, sentences of more than a year for minor offences — appear to do little to deter persons from committing petty crimes.

From the look of things, it appears that there is a clear need for some reform in the law in dealing with these matters, as more attention should be paid to reforming petty offenders, rather than punishing them by locking them away for a lengthy period when they can be of some meaningful service to communities.

But this must be done in a way to get these persons to understand the wrong they committed, while at the same time appreciating the values of honestly, dedication to service, and the importance of an upright society.
Given the shortcomings of the justice system, the branding of the minor offenders as criminals — along with the suggestion that the President is soft on criminals — is wholly misinformed and out of place.

This matter aside, the high number of young offenders engaging in illicit activities is a matter of serious concern, and points to the need for the administration to focus extensive attention on the vulnerable and depressed segments of society. As simple as it may look, the President’s Three Bs Initiative (boats, buses and bicycles), initiated to ensure every child goes to school, is a significant step in minimising the problem of young offenders in the long run. But religious institutions, community leaders, social organisations and the opposition also have to play a more vibrant role in tackling the issue.

Sitting on the sidelines and sniping will do little to address a problem that will affect all in society, regardless of political persuasion, race, creed or religion.