Generally, I don’t decide early in the week what my topic for this column will be. I think about what I’ll write and choose a topic somewhere in the middle of the week. This week however, was different. This week I decided at 2:30 am Monday morning what the column would be. Why then? Well, that was the time of day that I discovered that my car was stolen.

Now, there were a variety of thoughts that went through my mind, after I realized what had happened to my car. First, I was just shocked, and then I was a bit angry, then just resigned to my fate. One thing, though, crossed my mind, after I had reported the theft to the police. Why should I pay the cost? Why shouldn’t the criminals have to pay restitution for the crime if they get caught?

Now our criminal justice system emphasizes punishment, (and well it should, retribution has a place in justice) but often the victims of crime are just forgotten. The person wronged never gets back what was taken. The insurance company gets stuck with a bill, (which is passed on to consumers) if violence is involved the medical costs could be included too. So why shouldn’t restitution to everyone involved be a part of the punishment?

Perhaps as a part of every sentence restitution should be automatically included. Future wages could be garnished, or any money earned in prison could be put towards the costs involved. It wouldn’t salve all the pain of a crime, but it would be a better way to treat victims. It’s an idea for a law that I’m going to look into, and it’s an idea that I would appreciate your input on.

I’m Brad Trost, your Member of Parliament, and I welcome your feedback. Write or call my offices.