ALL over the world, for activists and those for various reasons opposed to governments, arrest, trial, and jail have greatly affected directions.

Arrest and jail transform individuals and their supporters. Both workers of good will and workers of evil have used arrest and prison to further their cause. Germany's Adolf Hitler, an agent for evil, used prison to think deeply and plan.

They may be from politics, business, civil society, and spiritual movements. They are persons who want to express some opinion or direction. Others may want to get into government. Arrest or jail will greatly affect them. The whole society may be moved greatly.

Some two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ was arrested for His teaching and living. And, roughly speaking, the forces of evil killed Jesus but Jesus did not die. He and his lifestyle overcame.

Jesus Christ was demonstrating the strength and triumph of love and truth over vengeance, revenge, and violence. Even over the coming Easter period, it is again shown that the journey to the cross and crucifixion is linked to arrest.

Many have faced the challenge. In the first part of the 1900s, Mahatma Gandhi faced prison and the experience moved him, and others, further. He tried to demonstrate that courage and action for the common good could go together with respect. One could still have civilised behaviour towards those considered opponents and manage to achieve much.

Even if they behaved crudely, you respected their humanity and your own humanity, for finally all are in a common humanity where we are linked to one another. Non violence could achieve more for the common good than violence and force can. Gandhi's message was enhanced by prison experience.

In recent times, arrest and jail have received more tactical use. In Africa, Kenneth Kaunda and friends in Zambia, Robert Mugabe and colleagues in Zimbabwe, and Toivo ya Toivo of Namibia were what many fighters for independence proudly call “prison graduates.”

And this year marks twenty years of Nelson Mandela's February 11, 1990 release from apartheid South Africa's prison facilities. Nelson Mandela was a symbol, confined to prison, around which South Africans, Africans, and millions of persons all over the world, galvanised for the release of imprisoned political activists and change from the evil of organised racism.

And during the fight against apartheid in the United States, prison was also an important experience for Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. Through the prison experience, some transforming messages were experienced for others and himself. And even singer Joan Baez faced arrest for some of her action for civil rights, peace, and against poverty and war, such as the USA presence in Vietnam and Iraq. Arrest and possible arrest brought more focus onto her cause.

And currently, worldwide attention towards Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi has increased with her arrest, charge, and prison confinement.

Both workers of goodwill and workers of evil have used arrest and prison to further their cause. Hitler used prison to think deeply and plan. Persons use arrest, jail, and courts to spread their case widely. It is also a platform for self exposure. In fact, some persons would like to be arrested or put in jail so that they are enabled a wide platform, sympathy, and recruitment to their cause. Some seek being heroes and heroines or even martyrdom and are prepared to suffer. Arrest may become some bait or trap to aid the arrested person to spring forth higher.

Thus, an error or reversed effect that ruling politicians, police, and security forces sometimes make is to give or reward the protestor or activist through some arrest, court session, or jail. For that is exactly where the arrested person may want to be. But, worldwide, politicians and police persons seem not to be learning much on this.

Yes, arrest, jail, or other confinement does things to those arrested, their followers and supporters, and other observers in society. Jail can be a ladder towards a cause. The arrested or confined person gets deep reflection on life, their individual role, relationship with others, and the direction of society. The person grows.

Arrest or jail may discourage some individuals and supporters but encourage others. Followers and supporters rededicate themselves to their goal. And other persons in society take note and may join the followers and supporters. The arrest and jail becomes a focal point that galvanises many persons into support and action for the arrested or confined person and their cause.

There are also some persons who, for various reasons, are against some authorities. These persons will admire the courage of those who stand up against government or official positions.

Governments and authorities have used arrest and jail to protect society or, sometimes, as punishment against a person with a different, opposing, or alternative position on some things. Rules and laws fair and unfair may be enforced differently on persons of different positions on an issue.

Sometimes, the authorities assume that arrest and confinement will help society but, instead, more problems may happen.

In Zambia, under various regimes, from colonial administrators to UNIP the first black government, Frederick Chiluba's MMD, Levy Mwanawasa's “New Deal” administration, and now Rupiah Banda's administration, arrest and jail have happened on persons in politics and civil society.

What appears offensive action does not always require arrest. And even on arrest, it is not always necessary to make a person spend nights in police or remand prison cells. Rough treatment of arrested persons may yield sympathy from some members of society. Some sympathise with a “victim” and will take the side of one suffering or opposing the government situation.

Sometimes arrest and jailing worsens public tension, weakens public order, and strengthens the cause of the accused. It may delay solving a conflict. Arrest and jail also use up much skills, persons, energy, equipment, resources, and time that can be given to other issues in society.

Some issues are not in the criminal realm and do not need arrests or courts but require political and social answers and engagement.