THE EDITOR, Sir:

After watching the news on Chinese television, I turned to the local news and noticed an interesting difference. Our newscast was a list of heinous crimes, but when the Chinese mentioned crime, it was mostly about punishment.Viewing subsequent newscasts revealed that this difference is consistent.

I started thinking about the different messages these newscasts sent to criminals. Ours say 'Commit a heinous crime and you get top billing on the news.' Theirs say 'Commit a terrible crime and you will be severely punished.'

Send a different message

I know nothing about crime statistics in China, but crime in this country is clearly sinking to lower and lower depths of depravity. Perhaps sending a different message to criminals could help.

I cannot remember the last time punishment for crime made the headlines in a local newscast.

Crime is a staple of the film industry and the world of entertainment, and media houses increasingly see the news as a form of entertainment. This probably explains the emphasis on crime and violence. That the news should try to satisfy people's lust for blood and gore is a sad reflection on the human condition, but that is another story.

Punishment involves doing unpleasant things to people, and so it is always in need of justification. Deterrence has long been one of the main arguments in its defence. Furthermore, since punishment is the flip side of crime, it should demand at least equal attention on the news. At the very least, a little more emphasis on punishment is worth trying. It is well-known that fear of being caught and punished is the best deterrent against crime.

I am, etc.,

EARL McKENZIE

Department of

Language, Linguistics

and Philosophy

UWI, Mona