FIX THE SYSTEM AND CATCH THE CROOKS

What is the point of passing all kinds of laws that are designed to secure convictions if you are not catching the criminals in the first place? Criminals don't fear draconian laws; they fear getting caught! Let me put it this way: everybody who has a driver's licence has at one time or another broken the speed limit laws - especially on the highway. But if you put police on the highway with a timer or radar gun you will see people slowing down. Nobody wants to get caught and have to pay a fine.

It is the same thing with violent crime. If the criminal believes that his chances of getting caught are almost zero, and his chances of being convicted are even slimmer, then he simply ain't gonna hesitate to do the crime. And this includes everything from murder to speeding and everything in between.

That is why I am so fed up with the posturing of politicians who claim that this latest Parliamentary Bill (whatever "it" is) will definitely bring down crime and is a vital piece in the State's fight against crime.  And nobody takes them out on these claims. Our erstwhile Attorney General is now bringing to Parliament legislation to amend the Evidence Act which he claims is absolutely vital and most important in the fight against crime. I suppose that he wants to pretend that he is doing something about the crime epidemic.

I'm sorry, but I've heard this song before. Remember the Anti-Gang Act? There were NO prosecutions (let alone convictions) under the Act when it was law, but the Attorney General didn't hesitate to castigate the Opposition for their lack of support when the law came up for renewal, and the mainstream media agreed with him. It was irresponsible not to support this legislation the AG thundered.

But nobody ever went back to the basic question: how many criminals are being caught? How many crimes are committed without being "solved"?

Does this mean that we should be like the Pharisee who gets rid of his sins by crying "Korban" at the gates of the Temple? No.  But we should start at the beginning which is catching the criminals - and quickly. The fear of getting caught is the ONLY effective deterrent against crime. Everything else is just fluff. And we should let the politicians (like the Attorney General) know that we are not impressed with their 'holier than thou' pronouncements. Fix the system by catching the crooks. Don't catch the crooks and we will all have to continue to deal with tragedies like the dreadful story of Andrea Barrath.

And yes, catching the criminals means also convicting them. This means that as part of fixing the problem the Court system has to be fixed as well.