15 March, 2013

JAIL OR HEAVY FINE


Salman, Saif, and some other stars are being tried by a   Rajasthan court for offences related to violation of    preservation of wildlife. The punishment would attract a jail   sentence and/or a small fine.  

Most of these fine amounts are so petty that they would   hardly serve as effective deterrents. That is why judges   usually also award jail sentences. While this effectively   deters the guilty such jail sentences do not serve any   purpose of society.   How about, instead, imposing a very, very high penalty? 

 Indeed, how about offering a choice between a very heavy   penalty [running into crores of rupees] and serving jail   sentences? The fine so collected can be put to serve the   cause violated; in this case preservation of wildlife. Let a   new sanctuary be set up, for instance.   This may also work in cases such as Sanjay Dutt’s.   Let the celebrities shell out this fine, if they wish. Let all   their friends, producers and directors whose monies are at   stake contribute if they care. 

 In such cases ‘deterrence’ is the objective and not   immobilizing the guilty, [as is the case with offences like   rape and murder where physical confinement of the guilty   is necessary to reassure the victim]. And heavy penalty   serves a good enough deterrence, in addition to serving   some social causes. And saving the cost of maintaining   the jail.  

Like everything else reforms must take place in our judicial   system. If this suggestion merits your consideration please   comment. More so if you have a legal acumen.  

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