I am interested to hear what our locals think of the way we punish and rehabilitate people.

I have always been fascinated with the evolution of punishment.

Historically, it involved being publicly and physically dealt with. For example, the taking of limbs.

I wouldn’t suggest anything that extreme. It is more the principal of the public element, which was to show others what the result of breaking the law would be.

Prisons were originally shaped to take away a prisoner’s privacy.

If you are interested in the history, I recommend you read Crime and Punishment by Michael Focoult.

We no longer have a physical element, nor as much of a public element or the taking away of privacy. Should we bring it back?

A professor at the James Cook University was quoted this week calling for prisoners to work publicly – that is, on road crews, like they still have in the US.

Is this a good idea?

Also, on the topic of punishment, this week Indonesia's constitutional court ruled against a challenge to the capital punishment of the bail drug mule Mr Rush.

I am not a supporter of capital punishment. What do you think? Is the right to life one that a government should be able to take away?