Taking the law in one's own hands

Taking the law in one's own hands

From Neraca

I feel pity for a purse snatcher pictured in a newspaper
photograph. He is being beaten by a group of people in front of
the Immigration Office in East Jakarta. Who is responsible if the
snatcher dies or is disabled for life? After all he is a fellow
human. The beating of a criminal by a group of people, if not
excessive, apparently has a deterrent effect toward criminal
behavior.

Everyone has feelings of fear. Mass beating of a criminal who
must sustain repeated blows and must even bear the risk of death
is frightening to criminals. It is an effective deterrent to
criminal activity. Criminals must think twice before going into
action.

Although taking the law into one's own hands is effective, it
is against the law, especially since the action is sometimes
inhuman. It must be avoided. But sometimes people are highly
annoyed by the behavior of criminals, so let it be!

Increased incidents of people taking the law in their own
hands is the result of dwindling public trust in law enforcement,
the police, the prosecutors and the judges. One of the causes is
the very light sentences for offenders, while it would be right
to give criminals, especially recidivists, the maximum penalty.

Now the public is apparently tired of needlessly long legal
procedures which do not yield any results. Investigation money is
asked from people reporting the loss of a motor vehicle. So,
misfortune strikes the victim twice.

The law enforcing apparatus should be concerned about why part
of their duty is taken over by the community, disappointed in the
existing legal procedures.

It all started with the lack of trust in the system.
Therefore, the system needs to be mended and laws enforced so
that public trust is restored.

PUTRANEGARA

Jakarta