Humiliation Is Not Justice
In Siem Reap Province, four delinquents among whom were three minors recently had their hair ruined by the police by way of clippers as punishment and as a means of deterrence. Photo: National Police
- By Cambodianess
- June 19, 2022 10:00 AM
In Siem Reap Province, four delinquents among whom were three minors recently had their hair ruined by the police by way of clippers as punishment and as a means of deterrence, and this, with the agreement of the village authorities, according to the media.
This is not the first time that this happens to fight petty crime, and especially juvenile delinquency.
One can argue that this method based on repression has the advantage of not overburdening the courts with minor cases.
However, let’s point out that it’s not up to the police or the local authorities to determine whether anyone is or is not guilty and even less to set a sentence, even if minimal, and then to impose it.
Moreover, justice does not only have a repressive function but also, and especially when it involves young delinquents, an educational function in order to ensure that there is no repeat offense for the benefit of society as a whole.
To punish a delinquent according to a sentence determined by the court based on the current laws is not an end in itself. This must be seen as a step in the reintegration of the delinquent in social normality.
Public humiliation, by increasing the risk of social marginalization of those it affects, goes in the opposite direction.
