No to hanging

The world-renowned anti-capital punishment advocate whose work inspired the movie, Dead Man Walking, referred to New Jersey as a "beacon on a hill" for the rest of the world to emulate.

Sister Helen Prejean, who has consoled death row inmates for many years, could not have said it better, because it is wrong for any society to use 'hanging' as a measure of law enforcement.

The lawmakers of the state of New Jersey did the right thing by voting to abolish the death penalty in that state, even as the governor commuted all the death sentences to life imprisonment without parole.

I pray that some day our Jamaican government will abolish hanging, and so keep our most dangerous criminals away from society with life sentences and no prospect of parole.

- Rev Dr Glen George Wilson, Northwest St Elizabeth

Migrants in trouble

I live in The Bahamas where Jamaicans migrate to seek a better living. They often overstay their time, which causes them to be rounded up by the immigration authority and taken to court to be charged.

These people do not have the kind of money this government charges, so most of the time they end up in Fox Hill jail to serve their sentence. I would like the minister of foreign affairs to come to an agreement with The Bahamian government and send these persons home, instead of sending them to prison. Please publish my letter, which should help to discourage others.

- Sharon Fernandersharonladyb@yahoo.comMiami FlVia Go-Jamaica

Wanted men

I commend Hartley's Neita's article of July 26, on the importance of publicly displaying photographs of men wanted by the police. Widespread public display of their photographs may well induce the fear of being recognised by a member of the public and of being reported to the police. Also, when caught, these wanted men could no longer blame 'informer' in their own communities.

Let wanted men live with the fear of being caught while allowing the majority of law-abiding citizens to put a face or faces to the inhumanly cruel gunmen who kill, rob and rape whenever they feel the urge.

- A readerKingston 10