PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1984, WHITBY FREE PRESS w hitby Voice of County Town I s Michael Ian Burgess, Publisher - Managing Editor The only Whitby newspaper independently owned and operated by Whitby residents for Whitby residents. L Published every Wednesday By M.B.M. PUBLISHING and Photography Inc. Phone 668-111 The Free Press Building, 131 Brock Street North, P.O. Box 206, Whitby, Ont. MICHAEL J. KNELL Community Editor Second Claie Mail Regintration No. 5351 We need to revise and improve our system of justice Brmgmg back ti Police officers of all ranks and other law enfor- cement officiais as well as leading politicians have been calling for the re-instatement of capital punishment for the past two weeks in response to the.murders of two Ontario police officers - both killed in the line of duty. Over the course of the last few weeks the danger faced by members of our police forces has been driven home not only by the murder of the two constables but by the neatr fatal shooting of two more officers In an Ottawa suburb. Here In Durham Region, our police chief, Jon M. Jenkins (past - president of 'the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police) and the chairman of. the Durham Regional Police Commission, Mayor Bob Attersley have both advocated the return of the gallows. This newspaper ls divided on this issue. We recognize that something more must be done to protect the men who put on the unlform to protect our community. The hoodlums that wander our streets are not worth the life of one police officer. While the police arguernents for the return of capital punishment are easily justified, this newspaper does not belleve that it alone will be a deterent to crime on the streets. What Is needed Is a complete re-think of our system of criminal justice. As a society we have to start making some drastlc changes to the way we treat convicted felons. Perhaps what is needed more than capital punishment is the outlawing of "mandatory supervision". Under this program, a convict will be released from prison after serving two-thirds of his sentence subject, of course, to good behaviour. According to many statistical sources, many crimes are committed by people recently released from prison or on mandatory supervision. A sen- tence of the court should be strictly enforced. Perhaps then, these people will know we mean business. Our justice system is also too quick to place of- fenders on a-probation program rather than send them to jail. Perhaps this system, too, is in need of revision. We also need to place the emphasis on the rights of the victims of crimes without en- dangering the civil and constitutional rights of the accused. (Under no circumstances should we abandon the concept of innocent until proven quilty.) Law abiding citizens have the right to ex- pect that their tax money will be used to protect them from that'element in our society that will vic- timize them for theirown gain. -.The other method of.dealing with this situation ls education. We must instill in our children a respect·for law and order and for the rights of their neighbours to live quiet, decent lives unhampered by the criminal element. They must be taught the difference between what we as a society deems to be right and wrong. Youthful offenders cannot be allowed to become adult offenders and the only way to do that is education and appropriate punishment. The new Parlament that was elected yesterday has a moral obligation ta deal immediately with this issue. Whlle capital punish ment was an issue during the campaign, it was treated emotionally and did not take into consideration the entire criminal Justice system. Whoever becomes Mînister of Justice in the new government has a pressing and urgent task before him. It is not enough that changes be made ta the Criminal Code of Canada, the money and resources must be found ta deal with an ever increasing problem. The return of the gallows is, in itself, not enough. While it may be a deterrent ta some, It ie gallows only part of the ans wer will not be a deterrent to all even though we are But what Is needed more than anything olse s not too such sure that capital punishment should complote ovorhaul of aur systom 0f'justice whlcl be used as a deterrent. Capital punishment, if it is Must booled with a determined effort to fini to be used, should be used in precisely that man- the rosources necessary to botter'equip and mai ner- as a punishment. our law enforcement agencies. <ilr, * f 'î;.g i I * ~-' -~ x I K~4 L~1AIo,68tî "What happe ned to my First Chance?9" a à id in . a