NCJ Number
50002
Journal
CRIME ET/AND JUSTICE Volume: 5 Issue: 3 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1977) Pages: 240-244
Date Published
1977
Length
5 pages
Annotation
THE HISTORY OF TRIBAL CRIME CONTROL IN FIJI, THE SMALL NUMBER OF VIOLENT CRIMES COMMITTED, AND THE RELAXED CHARACTER OF THE FIJI POLICE AND CORRECTIONS SYSTEM ARE DESCRIBED.
Abstract
THE PEOPLE OF FIJI WERE ORIGINALLY CANNIBALS. PUNISHMENT FOR MURDER DEPENDED UPON THE PURPOSE OF THE MURDER AND THE RANK OF THE MURDERER, AND TRIBAL LAW LOOKED MORE SEVERELY UPON VIOLATION OF LOCAL TABOOS THAN IT DID ON MURDER. IT WAS POSTULATED THAT THIS CULTURE WOULD BECOME A SUBCULTURE OF VIOLENCE WITH A HIGH INCIDENCE OF MURDER AND CRIMES OF VIOLENCE. THE REVERSE, HOWEVER, HAS HAPPENED. IN 1973 WITH A POPULATION OF 550,000 PEOPLE, THERE WERE SIX MURDERS COMMITTED, FOUR CASES OF MANSLAUGHTER, AND TWO INFANTICIDES. THE LARGEST NUMBER OF ARRESTS WERE FOR TRAFFIC OFFENSES AND VIOLATIONS OF LOCAL ORDINANCES. THE WORK OF THE ROYAL FIJI POLICE FORCE, WHICH NUMBERS 1,027 OFFICERS OR 2.05 OFFICERS PER 1000 POPULATION, IS DESCRIBED. THERE ARE NINE PRISONS EMPHASIZING WORK PROGRAMS AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING. THE LARGEST SOURCE OF CONFLICT INVOLVES THE INDIAN MINORITY WHO WERE BROUGHT TO FIJI AS LABORERS BY THE BRITISH IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. THIS GROUP HAS BEGUN TO DEMAND THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS. INTER-CULTURAL CONFLICT WITH THE NATIVE POPULATION REMAINS MINIMAL, HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE TWO GROUPS MAINTAIN SEPARATE IDENTITIES. THE FUTURE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IN FIJI IS BRIEFLY CONSIDERED. FOOTNOTES CONTAIN REFERENCES. (GLR)