Chameleon Magazine

When it comes to violent crime, countries can take very different paths.

Some rely on deterrence through harsh penalties. Others rely on rehabilitation and rights-based systems.

To see this contrast, let’s look at London, UK and Saudi Arabia — two places where justice is carried out in very different ways.

How London Deals with Crime

London’s justice system is built around common law, due process, and human rights protections.

• Investigation & Trial: Crimes are investigated by the Metropolitan Police and prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service.
• Punishments:
  
  • Murder → life imprisonment (15–30 years minimum).
  • Assault (GBH) → up to life in prison, depending on severity.
  • Robbery → several years to life if weapons or violence involved.
• No Death Penalty: Abolished decades ago.
• Rehabilitation: Many offenders have access to drug treatment, anger management, or education programmes. Youth offenders often go through diversion schemes.
• Community Policing: Knife crime and assaults are targeted through campaigns, amnesties, and stop-and-search.

Is it working?

• Homicides in London were 103 in 2023, close to a ten-year low.
• Nationally, knife offences are still high — over 50,000 reported in 2024.
• The overall trend: homicide rates are stable or slowly falling, but visible street violence remains a challenge.

London’s model shows that crime is still present and visible, but long-term violence is not spiralling upward.

How Saudi Arabia Deals with Crime

Saudi Arabia’s system is based on Sharia law, with an emphasis on deterrence and retribution.

• Investigation & Trial: Crimes are handled by police under the Ministry of Interior and tried in Sharia courts.
• Punishments:
  
  • Murder → death penalty unless forgiven by the victim’s family, who may accept diyya (blood money).
  • Assault → retribution or financial compensation.
  • Armed robbery → can carry severe penalties, including amputation or in rare cases death.
• Corporal & Capital Punishment: Harsh penalties remain in use, though some (like flogging) have been reduced.
• Community Role: Victims’ families have strong influence, particularly in murder cases.

Impact on Crime

• Reported homicide rates are low: around 0.8–1.5 per 100,000 people in recent years, which is comparable to or slightly below the UK.
• Official reports describe violent crime as relatively rare, though some offences (like domestic violence) may be underreported.
• Executions and severe punishments are intended to act as strong deterrents.

Saudi Arabia’s model shows that visible violent crime is rare, but the justice system is built on fear of punishment rather than rehabilitation.

Which Works Best?

• London’s system shows crime can be punished without ending lives, with a focus on rehabilitation and rights. But visible violent crime — especially knife attacks — remains an ongoing challenge.
• Saudi Arabia’s system shows that harsh deterrence can coincide with low reported homicide rates. But it relies on severe punishments that many countries have rejected as inhumane.

So here’s the question:

👉 Which approach would you choose?

A system that focuses on rehabilitation but tolerates more visible street violence?

Or a system that enforces order with severe punishments but leaves little room for second chances?

Both models deliver a kind of justice — but they tell us very different things about what a society values most.