Turn our jails into universities

No, I do not think this should apply to blood crimes simply because of the nature of those crimes. But in other instances where people’s lack of opportunities due to a lack of knowledge and education led them down the wrong path and to a life of crime, shouldn’t our criminal justice system be restorative and work to release people back onto the streets better than they were when they went in? Shouldn’t we want to create hope and opportunity even for those who lose their way, and give everyone a second chance at a full and contributing life? Imagine the positive ripples of sending now highly educated men and women back to the communities from whence they came, able to build new and prosperous lives where criminality alone once stood.

And it does not have to be limited to scholastic pursuits but could and should include music, the arts, sport, technical, vocational, any developmental pursuit that taps into the innate abilities and passions naturally inherent in all people, and give them a chance at a real life.

There are both local and international organisations that would be willing to assist in making this a reality, and this as a programme would be a revolution in the way we think and look at our people, and the way the world looks at us.

This is the future of a real and progressive nation, one concerned with the well-being and empowerment of all of its people. And while this will be a manifesto promise and objective of a Progressive Empowerment Party government, like with all of our suggestions, we hope the Government of the day steals the idea and puts it into practice immediately for the benefit of all our people.

Phillip Edward Alexander political leader, PMP