Dear Editor,
The big news of the day is the upcoming transfer of Paul Bernardo, convicted murderer, from a maximum-security prison to a medium-security prison. The powers that be say the aim of prison is rehabilitation. The same article stated that Bernardo sexually assaulted 14 other women as well as the school girls he killed.
He is said to be in his late 50’s, so far he has cost the Canadian taxpayer a small fortune to house, feed and protect him. In prison, they call him Clingy. He is apparently afraid of retribution for his crimes and sticks very close to the guards, whenever he is allowed out of his cell.
The other side of the story is the families still dealing with the devastation caused by his crimes.
Although Canada is known worldwide for its compassion to those who must leave their own countries, does Canada have the same compassion for those who have lost family members to “remorseless” killers such as Paul Bernardo?
One quote says, “This is worth dying for.” (Paul Bernardo)
Yet, our legal (justice) system says he and others like him, must be kept alive, at great expense to the public purse.
The families of the victims have requested that Paul Bernardo remain in maximum security.
So life continues on, for both the perpetrators of heinous crimes and the families who have lost loved ones.
It is no wonder that today people have so little respect for a “justice” system, that appears to put the rights of convicted killers above the rights of those who have lost their loved ones.
Justice then, has become a word used out of context in a case like this. For the wounded families of the victims, there is no real justice, just lingering sadness for their loss and a question, why?
With respect,
D. Ruth Jewell
Three Hills, AB
