Posted on 07/08/2008 10:02:47 PM PDT by george76
BRITAIN’S soft justice system hit a new low yesterday with plans to scrap prison sentences for burglars.
Hundreds of thousands of crooks could escape jail every year under the proposals by advisers to the Lord Chief Justice.
Those sentenced to short, sharp shock jail terms of less than 12 months for “less serious offences” – including burglary – should be handed community penalties instead,
Even those who are likely to reoffend could walk free from court if it is believed they will go on to commit “non-serious offences”.
And in a further blow, while courts must not be swayed by victims demanding harsher punishments for offenders, the advisers said that judges should listen if they call for leniency.
Critics said the proposals would do nothing to calm the fears of law-abiding members of the public who have lost their faith in the criminal justice system, and would not deter those intent on crime.
Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Herbert said burglary is “deeply upsetting for its victims and should not be dealt with lightly”. He added: “People rightly expect that offenders who invade their home will be dealt with severely, and they have little confidence in weak community sentences which too often aren’t even properly enforced.”
Retired judge Keith Matthewman QC called the proposals “an absolute disgrace”. He said: “Criminals laugh at community sentences.
More than 292,000 burglaries were reported to police last year.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailyexpress.co.uk ...
Send in Joe Horne.
Send in Sherrif Joe Arpaio
Got to clear out the prisons of regular offenders to make room from the thought-criminals.
Seems like a good idea since they’ll need the room to lock up people who try to defend themselves!
L
You mean those "racist" three year olds who say, "yuck".
Where would you rather live:
Today’s Britain or yesterday’s Russia.
I would feel more free in the forest of the CCCP
Any white British male who stays there is either crazy or dedicated to some sort of backlash movement I have yet to see.
Phooey, just abolish the whole friggin criminal penal system and you won’t have the expense of jails or the embarrassment of freeing hard core criminals...So funny..one year they make all the UK citizens turn in their guns...next they free the burglars...
Free the poor victims of a dastardly jail system...if a homeowner needs to defend his home, let him use a flashlight...
Let Freedom ring—until someone steals the bell...
There is plenty of room in the jails for law-abiding homeowners.
If the comparison is between today's Britain vs. today's Russia; there's no contest - Russia wins.
Hey! Our libs try to do this all the time. Couple months’ back, there were a flurry of editorials and self-appointed-expert opinions that proclaimed that 20% of the peeps in US prisons now, could be released to community service, etc.
These writings never once mentioned that the folks in prison earned their way there via multiple prior offenses (not to mention the heavy-duty felonies) such as burglary, shoplifting, and the like. The writers wrote as if these folks were just unfortunate first-timers.
I think CA first passed a three-strikes sentencing law, and it was aimed at incarcerating those folks who never wised up after being convictred of two felonies. There was a case that raised a lot of discussion after a guy got a felony prison sentence for robbing a kid of a piece of pizza.
Now, if you think that sentence was excessive, how many more crimes would you commit if you had been caught and convicted only one time? No more, because you’re smart, right. Three felonies, under the original three-strikes law, pretty much defined a perp as a “habitual criminal”, and the extra sentencing was called a “bitch” (habitual, see?)
But the program, picked up by several states, soon got watered down to violent crimes only, to avoid sending pizza thieves on long trips to prison. (Even that case was a violent felony, however, because the perp “robbed” the victim to take the pizza. Don’t know if the perp had a weapon or not.)
IMO, the British panel is just a lib group whose ideas got a little too much publicity. The court will not take their advice, in no small part because the citizens, having read the article, will voice strong opinion.
I don’t get it with the British citizens having to give up owning firearms. But that’s another topic, and I know nothing of the matter.
It boggles the mind.
No wonder Argentina is starting to make noises about another attempt to take the Falklands Islands from Britain.
They figure the worst the Brit government will do is issue them a citation for unwarranted public display of aggressiveness.
Queen Charles will be very put out and insist that his dearest manservant politely go on a fabulous peace mission to ask for it back, lest they arouse his flaming dissatisfaction.
Protect the bullies for the lose.
“Criminals laugh at community sentences. The only thing they are frightened of is prison.”
In the USA, burglary is a much more high-risk career — thank God for our 2nd Amendment. I’d feel naked without my house gun. Poor Brits.
I read their comments, and saw a lot of bluster about “Just let some knife-wielding burglar try to get my stuff,” but they’d have to go hand-to-hand. And then go to jail. No Castle Law at all. Bless our founders.
Of course that ignores the well-established behavioral pattern that usually evolves as the novice perp grows more bold, and more accustomed to aggressive behavior. He will transition from trespass, to criminal trespass, to breaking and entering, and ultimately to forced entry of occupied dwelling while armed. From there, there's no limit to the level of violence and agression employed.
The fix is simple enough. It’s also labeled “terrorism”, but it’s still simple enough.
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