'Notify communities of freed carnal abuse convicts' -MP wants Justice Ministry to put residents on alert GOVERNMENT BACKBENCHER Sharon Hay-Webster wants the Ministry of Justice to notify communities of persons convicted of carnal abuse offences, when they are freed and returning home. But Delroy Chuck, JLP spokesman on Justice, thinks that while it would be perfectly legal to do so, it would be better to have the convicts serve part of their sentences in the communities, as a rehabilitative effort. Speaking in the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Mrs. Hay-Webster (St. Catherine South Central) said that when persons were convicted of carnal abuse their communities should know of their return. "I believe that as a parent I need to know that this person is there," she said, referring to a recent case of a man who, she said, had been convicted of carnal abuse and who returned to his community and raped a 15-year-old girl. "If the community had been notified that this person was around, basic schools know, primary schools know, high schools know, churches are aware that this person is within the community, we would ensure that our children are safer," she said. She promised to take a Private Member's Motion to the House to review the Offences Against the Person Act, so that communities can be notified that there is a carnal abuse convict in their midst. Asked to comment on the suggestion, Mr. Chuck said that it was perfectly legal to obtain the information, as convictions and releases were already public record. "But, what would be better, is that when the persons are sentenced, they are allowed to serve part of the time in the community to rehabilitate themselves," he suggested. Asked about concerns that the convict may commit the crime again, Mr. Chuck said the person would be supervised and, if any misbehaviour occurs or the parole breached, he would be sent back to prison.
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