It’s extremely hard to lose a family member in tragic circumstances.  Age and or severe illness prepares us for the inevitable.  But when we lose someone close to us in a tragedy there’s no denying that the shock, the anger and the resentment at the loss last for a long time and those emotions are felt most keenly. Even more so when the loss is made a great deal worse by the fact that the tragedy comes about by the foolishness or the crime of another.  How parents cope with the loss of a child killed in his/her teens while traveling in the car of a peer I’ll never understand.  Life seems to be so fragile and so unfair at times like that.  The question “Why?” seems to have no answer.

The two cases presented for our consideration here are in a remarkable way made more complex by the fact that they seem to have been “tragedies in the making” for quite some time. When people offend and the justice system fails to keep us safe from the offender we seem to be fools waiting for the next chapter in what has often already been a long history of crime, violence and little regard for the common good. At the same time I am never sure exactly how behaviour can be predicted and exactly how we know that x or y or z should be locked up with the key thrown away.  Certainly recidivist drink drivers should be banned from driving after serving their sentence – but can they realistically be held in jail for the rest of their lives?

Past behaviour is certainly the best predictor or future action.  But sometimes a person can change, sometimes a person can see the error of their ways, sometimes repent and reform.  Are we that cynical that we can no longer trust in the possible innate goodness of others? Without doubt the security of all is a constant concern of the police and the judicial system.  Judges, prosecutors and the Parole Board are all the time weighing the common good against the good of the individual.  We will of course at times err with our presumption of innocence before guilt is proven.  That being the case – and without resorting to a police state where everyone is locked up at every opportunity mistakes are going to happen. And sadly tragedies result.

Today however we seem to be unable to cope with a mistake made by anyone without wanting recourse, retribution and accountability that include someone “falling on their sword”.  It’s my opinion that if we want the beauties of the democratic and judicial system e have then we have to at times accept that mistakes will have tragic consequences. That does not reduce my sympathy for what others have to suffer.

This Weeks Reflections

• Victims’ families want to prosecute (News item)
• You can’t always predict future behaviour
• We always want to blame
• Restorative is more effective

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