Fines and incarceration are the most common punishments for crimes in most societies. Whether it is a multimillion-dollar fine or many years in prison, these types of punishment rarely address the needs of the victims and affected communities. Sana Hussein, a 27-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent from Kenya, explores how restorative justice works and argues that it …

Why settle for imprisoning criminals to punish them? Read More »

Trinidad and Tobago’s government will have to go back to the drawing board following the defeat of a bill to reintroduce hanging, writes 21-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent Ryan Bachoo. In a time when the world is experiencing all manner of challenges, Trinidad and Tobago, a little country in the Caribbean, finds itself battling the common threat of …

Correspondence: Crime and punishment in the twin-island republic Read More »

‘Is it fair to blame the parents of young people who get mixed up in gangs and criminal behaviour?’ asks Sonia Quamina, a 25-year-old from Arima, a town in Trinidad and Tobago. The poll in the local Trinidad and Tobago Guardian newspaper, dated 2 April 2011, asked the question, “Should the parents of gang members …

Correspondence: How do you define successful parenting? Read More »

‘Is it fair to blame the parents of young people who get mixed up in gangs and criminal behaviour?’ asks Sonia Quamina, a 25-year-old from Arima, a town in Trinidad and Tobago. The poll in the local Trinidad and Tobago Guardian newspaper, dated 2 April 2011, asked the question, “Should the parents of gang members …

"How do you define successful parenting?" Read More »

The taser, an electroshock weapon, has had a negative effect upon police practice and its use should be limited only to extreme situations, writes 20-year-old Neil Thomas, from Perth in Western Australia. The Western Australian Corruption and Crime Commission recently resumed a misconduct investigation into the treatment of police detainee Kevin Spratt, who was shot with …

Correspondence: An argument against the use of tasers Read More »

The taser, an electroshock weapon, has had a negative effect upon police practice and its use should be limited only to extreme situations, writes 20-year-old Neil Thomas, from Perth in Western Australia. The Western Australian Corruption and Crime Commission recently resumed a misconduct investigation into the treatment of police detainee Kevin Spratt, who was shot with …

"An argument against the use of tasers" Read More »

Too few cases of sexual assault make it to the courts despite millions of women around the world becoming victims every year. Why is it that attacks go unpunished, asks Commonwealth Correspondent Genitta Pascal, a 19-year-old from the Caribbean island of St Lucia? According to the United Nations, sexual abuse is defined as the actual …

“Are victims not bold enough to face their perpetrator in court?” Read More »

Too few cases of sexual assault make it to the courts despite millions of women around the world becoming victims every year. Why is it that attacks go unpunished, asks Commonwealth Correspondent Genitta Pascal, a 19-year-old from the Caribbean island of St Lucia? According to the United Nations, sexual abuse is defined as the actual …

"Are victims not bold enough to face their perpetrator in court?" Read More »

For Arianne St Louis, a 24-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent from the town of Diego Martin in Trinidad & Tobago, crime was something that happened to other people. That was until thieves targeted her grandmother’s house. Recent statistics indicate that Trinidad’s crime rate has been steadily increasing since 2003. However, despite the daily tragedies I read about in …

“She screamed ‘murder’ while struggling to hold onto her purse” Read More »

For Arianne St Louis, a 24-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent from the town of Diego Martin in Trinidad & Tobago, crime was something that happened to other people. That was until thieves targeted her grandmother’s house. Recent statistics indicate that Trinidad’s crime rate has been steadily increasing since 2003. However, despite the daily tragedies I read about in …

"She screamed 'murder' while struggling to hold onto her purse" Read More »