THE BAHAMAS. CRISIS CENTRE DIRECTOR SPEAKS OUT AGAINST CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

Dr. Sandra Dean-Patterson, director of the Women’s Crisis Centre in the Bahamas, said studies had shown that harsh punishments did not deter crime. "We can learn from the experience of other countries and research from other countries shows that the death penalty and the cat-o’-nine tails or any other type of serious corporal punishment do not deter, especially when you are referring to crimes of passion because when they happen the perpetrator is not thinking of punishment; [he or she is] just dealing with emotions," she said.