Watching Crimewatch as we speak I have just heard about some absolutely horrific crimes including a frail, old lady being brutally murderer by intruders and then they burned her house down destroying everything. What’s worse is that this happened in 1994 and still to this day noone has been arrested or convicted of this evil act.
This is why we need a Government who will be tough on crime, too often we hear of offenders being let off, violent offenders being given ‘one more chance’ by soft touch judges. This is not justice it is a joke.
Under this Government more than ever the rights of the offender come before the victim and I find this appalling. The victim should always come first.
Whoever is in No10 after May 6 needs to be tough on crime, we know Labour will do nothing. We need tough sentences that deter crime not soft options like community service and suspended sentences that just leave violent offenders free to reoffend which they very often do.
Prison should be a punishment, not a reward, not an easy life where they get half-sentences for ‘good behaviour’.
We also need better trained proper police out on the streets enforcing real crime not chasing targets and red tape.
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Well said Phil, the BNP (for example) would put repeat offenders on a penal colony in South Georgia,good idea if you ask me.
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Don’t think that was Phil Harold, lol
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There is no such thing as a soft touch judge: judges are told what sentences to mete out by the Government.
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True to an extent, but there is cases where judges have the option of a custodial sentence for violent ans serious offenders and they let them walk saying ‘one more chance’. There shouldn’t be one more chance, violent offenders should be locked up without question not left to walk free clean up a bit of graffiti and then go and reoffend facing the judge a week later after another pub brawl.
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One strike and your out rule seems a bit harsh. What I think is wrong with the sentencing system is the 3,4,5,6 months sentences what are they all about? If you commit a crime serious enough to go to prison for then you should go for a serious length of time. People who go for a couple of months almost get attuned to the prison system that leads to them having no fear of prison. We don’t necessarily need more prison places (after all someone stealing knickers from a washing line do they really need to go to prison? Isn’t being publicly humiliated enough of a punishment?) what we need is people going inside for the correct length of time.
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I agree there, people that commit minor non-violent offences should get community service. Like I thought it was silly sending that pervert Ian Stafford to prison for 6 years for stealing knickers. Yes it was wrong and it was perverted. But he is not a danger to anyone, he hasn’t beaten someone senseless or mugged a harmless old lady. He is just a harmless old man who committed a sick but non-violent crime. When I said one strike and you’re out I meant for violent offenders. You shouldn’t be able to go and beat someone half to death and get ‘one more chance’, violent offenders should get prison without question. It makes me sick when they make pathetic excuses like my favourite ‘I was drunk’ (so that makes it alright then) and bang on about how ‘ashamed’ they are and they walk free and attack someone else.
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It almost goes without saying that if you kill someone or almost kill him or her then that severe violence and you should go the prison but, I am sure you will agree, when talking about the and making law you can’t be ambiguous. Knee jerk reactions are not always the best ones or the right ones.
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I agree with that, murder should always result in a life sentence I believe, none of this ‘you will serve 9 years’ and then given a new start with a new identity. Violent offender the same they should serve long sentences. The punishment should fit the crime like someone who just assaults someone in a little scuffle at the pub should get a lesser sentence than say someone who carries out a planned and sustained attack on someone putting them in intensive care. But another one that annoys me is when you hear of cases of GBH/ABH getting 6 months and out with a tag after 3, then you hear of someone pushes a police officer over and they get 3 years. What makes the police so special?
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Yes I agree with you TB its not about building more prisons its about getting the sentencing correct. Prisons should never be the first choice for most crimes but when you do go to prison it should be for a while.
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Fair point, I feel there are also plenty of people that don’t belong in prison. Like it makes my blood boil when innocent homeowners get imprisoned for defending themselves against intruders and then like I say I think it is absolutely ridiculous that Ian Stafford got a prison sentence especially such a long one. He stole some women’s knickers he didn’t kick someone’s head in and leave them for dead. He has been punished by the humilation of being in the local and national papers but he should have got some community service especially as he had an impeccable record before his crimes. He wasn’t a drug-fuelled career criminal with 50 convictions. I feel he is a waste of a prison space. Prison should be a last resort for minor non-violent offenders.
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Sorry I meant TB!
and i agree with Phil!
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No problem Harold, its probably because I haven’t written anything for a while, just not had anything to write about and I’ve been busy at work.
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