'25 YEARS FOR RAPE' - Jamaican Senate lobbies for stricter ...

A PROPOSAL for rape offenders to receive a minimum 25-year prison sentence was yesterday approved in the Senate. The vote came after debate on a private members motion, tabled in May by Government Senator Norman Grant, tackling the high number of murders and sexual offences against children. Senator Grant, in opening the debate, said stringent measures must be implemented to protect the nation's youth. "Let us not leave it to the discretion of the judge," he said. "As long as the rule of law is followed let us as lawmakers send a strong signal that we are serious about the protection of our children." Senator Grant also stressed that the nation must do everything possible to bring child killers to justice and that "no one should have any comfort that they will kill an innocent child and feel that they have (even) a one per cent chance of getting away." SPECIFIC POLICE UNIT The Government senator also suggested that a specific unit be established in the police force to investigate cases of child abuse and neglect.

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