Community service is a good option
THERE have been views and suggestions to impose the death penalty on intoxicated motorists found guilty of causing death in road accidents.
When a motorist kills a road user due to his foolishness and intoxication, the most logical and emotional outburst of the victim’s loved ones is to demand justice.
The death sentence does not do justice in any way to the victim’s loved ones.
Furthermore when the state sanctions the death sentence it has to take a lot of things into consideration before the sentence is passed.
Sometimes it takes more than a few years for the judiciary to deliberate on the case before finally passing judgment.
The decision of the state to take the life of a person even for the most heinous of crimes is not an easy one.
Neither does imposing lengthy jail sentences on offenders bring closure to the surviving family members of the accident victims.
There is a need for a sentence that will bring justice, repentance and deterrence.
In the 70’s, there was a revolutionary idea on punishment for accident deaths that was shown in an old Tamil film entitled Neethi (Justice).
This film showcased a rather unusual theme where the person who had caused the death of another person had to support and help the dead person’s family.
In that era, the film made an interesting impact and the idea was innovative and revolutionary.
In the film, a drunk lorry driver runs over and kills a worker, who is the sole bread winner of his family.
The lorry driver is sentenced to do community work and support the financial needs of the victim’s family.
Instead of jailing motorists who cause the death of another person, the guilty motorists could be made to do community service and contribute to an Accident Victims’ Fund which can be dispensed to accident victims or their next of kin.
No doubt it was just a film but reel life can become real life, if the parole system and other forms of check and balance are put into place.
Instead of imposing lengthy sentences or life sentences on errant drivers, it makes sense to monitor them and restrict their movements and make them work.
Their earnings can be channelled to the fund.
Most of those who are involved in drink-driving cases are either young professionals or senior executives, who earn good salaries.
Make these people contribute monthly a part of their earnings for a number of years to the families of the victims.
This will also deter others from drink driving.
With community service, the perpetrators are given a chance to repent, work and help compensate the affected families.
Samuel Yesuiah
Seremban