Is a segregated cell the answer?

Hazel McCallion Senior Public School
Mississauga, Ontario

By Ryan M. (Grade 8)

So he'll get a few tiny bruises. Is that a legitimate excuse to separate Paul Bernardo from the other criminals? After raping and killing so many innocent people, who cares what's done to him? Put him in with the others; he certainly deserves what he might get. He certainly doesn't deserve a whole cell to himself, not to mention the endless privileges and countless meals he gets. Isn't it the victims we must protect and not their cold-blooded murderers?

Do we honestly think that separation will accomplish anything? In fact, it will actually show how you can abuse the system, and leave laughing. Are we so blind that we can't see that Bernardo has gotten away with murder? Literally. Why is he allowed protection? He won't learn anything and we can't expect him to because we allow him to win, while the families of his victims suffer.

Compared to what he did, is it so cruel to just let him live in a bit of fear? He certainly had no problem frightening his victims to death. We should realize that it's time that Bernardo got a tiny sample of what he made his victims feel.

Now that he's separated, where is this extra money to entertain and protect Bernardo going to come from? Where else, from our pockets! As if the government weren't stealing enough already, now part of our taxes go to provide this beast with cable T.V., his own shower, sink, and visits to the gym twice a week. Does this sound like a fair punishment that a murderer deserves? Money is needed elsewhere, not to support Bernardo and his ceaseless needs.

It's times like these when you have to stop and ask, who is the sick one: Bernardo for murdering so many, or us, the makers of society, for protecting him?


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