Robert Pickton’s hospitalization is test on everybody’s morality

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A good way to test somebody’s morality is to ask them about their views on the criminal justice system. More specifically, whether they think it is sufficiently punitive. 

Just above half of Canadians think the criminal justice system is fair and works well, according to a survey by Research Co. But rest assured you do not need to go far to find someone who thinks that prisoners need “tough love.”

If the Correctional Service of Canada practiced a philosophy of maximum discipline, then we would effectively be running literal “con colleges” that would shoot the relapse of an offender sky-high as the formerly incarcerated find that they have nowhere to go socially but back into the criminal lifestyle. 

What about the most evil, irredeemable person that could be hypothetically conceived? Does he deserve mercy? Well that thought experiment has entered reality.

On May 23, it was reported that notorious B.C. serial killer, Robert Pickton, was put into a medically-induced coma and placed on life support after being assaulted by a fellow Port-Cartier Institution inmate. 

For those unfamiliar, Pickton was responsible for the disappearances of women from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside in the 1990s until his conviction in 2007 for the second-degree murder of six women out of the 26 he was initially charged with. The reason being the presiding judge thought that covering 26 murder charges would be too much for one trial and drag proceedings on for years. 

DNA evidence collected from Pickton’s pig farm suggests that up to 33 women — many of whom were Indigenous — were murdered by him. He is undoubtedly an evil, irredeemable individual who should never be released. Even if he did receive parole, he deserves only severe social ostracization. Now, here comes the part that some of you, dear readers, will passionately disagree with. Pickton also deserves to receive medical treatment.

First of all, what would be accomplished if Pickton were left to die? Yes the families of his victims will get well deserved schadenfreude, but that does not bring back their daughters, granddaughters, sisters, nieces, and other loved ones. It is a momentary rush of karmic justice followed by recognition that nothing has fundamentally changed — personally or systemically. They still have to live with the absence of their loved ones. The death of these women’s killer cannot fill that void. 

Secondly, letting this one monster die will signal that it is okay to allow the same for every other inmate in the criminal justice system. Currently, the Canadian prison system is “broken” with violence, racism, and inadequate mental health treatment, education, and nutrition, all impeding the rehabilitation of those incarcerated and subsequent reintegration back into society. 

In-prison healthcare has been highlighted as an ongoing issue due to inadequate resources. Anybody who should, would, and could have rejoined honest society and steered away from crime are caught back in via recidivism. It’s also important to remember not all incarcerated people in Canada are violent offenders. In fact, a good number of the incarcerated are unconvicted and on remand. 

Lumping together all prisoners into a single blob of criminality is exactly the type of mentality that feeds into the stigmatization cycle. All (ex-)cons are viewed as threats, so the criminal justice system is made more punitive, making it harder for people to turn their lives around and return to crime, get viewed as threats, and so on.

You could count on one hand the number of people who will cry for Robert Pickton — fewer who will publicly admit it. But he should not be an excuse to treat other prisoners like subhumans.