It was recently revealed that a couple was caned 140 times in Indonesia for sex and alcohol offences. Although Jamaica and much of the Caribbean colonial countries allowed caning of convicted persons, particularly for sexual offences, it is now mostly forbidden.
Similar Caribbean canings would be in the billions or more. The wide stretch of culture despite the best efforts of the European Union and others to blend world behaviour as one.
There is the occasional outburst of violence against inmates by some undisciplined warders, but this would be an exception rather than the rule.
A most graphic depiction of caning with the famous tamarind switch can be found by the punishment given to Jimmy Cliff in the Harder They Come film by Jamaican auteur, Perry Henzell.
Painful to watch, even today.
The older and less behaved among us, especially those familiar with boarding schools, will never forget the first hurtful caning that taught no lessons but avoid being caught again and hope for revenge against particular teachers. Sounds familiar among the criminals of today.
The hardest part can be waiting for the punishment, the embarrassment of being violated, especially by a non Jamaican in some cases, behind closed doors. Girls usually escaped a flogging, except in an instance of wilding but usually on the palms of hands. I have a sister who remembers it, even today.
No less hurtful, no less wrong.
Dopplegangers of the Marquis de Sade at play.
Jamaica ceased whipping prisoners for many years, but officially in 2012 by the order of the present Leader of the Opposition. The flogging of school children was once widespread and among many ages, including the very young. The Jamaican government has rambled about a total ban of corporate punishment on children in 2024 with various press releases, but no actual action.
Politics at play.
Jamaica featured prominently in a 2021 Forbes magazine article about a program to deal with violence by teachers on their students. Hopefully it will be a case of lessons learned and rules to follow. Better that we no longer have to appear in the media for that unsavoury cultural heritage.
The international model appears to be seen in many South and Central American countries that prohibit corporal punishment at home, day care centers, schools or prisons. The Caribbean seems to be falling behind.
If they tried that Indonesian punishment in the Caribbean, we would have no tamarind trees left.
Notes
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/30/indonesia-sharia-law-woman-caned-140-times-faints
| Correctional officer charged after allegedly striking inmate at Horizon remand centrejamaica-gleaner.com |
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/nov/16/jamaica-abolish-flogging-punishment
| Violence Prevention Commission Recommends Total Ban on Corporal Punishment – Jamaica Information Servicejis.gov.jm |
Peter Polack is a former criminal lawyer from the Cayman Islands for several decades. His books are The Last Hot Battle of the Cold War: South Africa vs. Cuba in the Angolan Civil War (2013), Jamaica, The Land of Film (2017) and Guerrilla Warfare: Kings of Revolution (2019). He was a contributor to Encyclopedia of Warfare (2013). His latest book is a compendium of Russian espionage activities with almost five hundred Soviet spies expelled from nearly 100 countries worldwide 1940-88.
His views are his own.
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