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Top judge urges rethink on prison sentences
BillieTheBot
Posts: 8,721 Bot
Story.
Very brave of him to suggest that non-custodial sentences should be used more often, and are of equal merit, I think.
I completely agree with it, in many cases custody does far more harm than good to all concerned, but I wouldn't expect his ideas to ever get any acceptance.
No doubt he will be attacked as "a soft woolly liberal" who is "soft on crime". Which is the problem. Quite often a 250 hour CPO, especially coupled with a drug treatment order, is far more of a punishment, and far better for the defendant. Treat these people and they will rehabilitate, don't and they won't.
But people fixate on prison for all criminals, and so these people just keep committing crime instead of getting the help they need. HMP Durham, for instance, only offers drug treatment programmes for heroin addicts. If you're on alcohol or amphetamines you might as well not bother.
Very brave of him to suggest that non-custodial sentences should be used more often, and are of equal merit, I think.
I completely agree with it, in many cases custody does far more harm than good to all concerned, but I wouldn't expect his ideas to ever get any acceptance.
No doubt he will be attacked as "a soft woolly liberal" who is "soft on crime". Which is the problem. Quite often a 250 hour CPO, especially coupled with a drug treatment order, is far more of a punishment, and far better for the defendant. Treat these people and they will rehabilitate, don't and they won't.
But people fixate on prison for all criminals, and so these people just keep committing crime instead of getting the help they need. HMP Durham, for instance, only offers drug treatment programmes for heroin addicts. If you're on alcohol or amphetamines you might as well not bother.
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He was a silly late teenager and got in trouble, only because he had a decent lawyer in court did he get CS, lots of it too.
It sent him on the straight and narrow where as prison would have sent him the other way.
Prison should only be for very serious offenders or those who are a danger to society.
And if we had more residential drug treatment centres we wouldnt have to have so many prisons.
Wasn't it called common law or something?
And surprise surprise...
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,31-2005380290,00.html
:rolleyes:
Really? Is that why America has nearly 1% of its population in jail?
Got to love The Sun.
Lord Woolf says low-level offenders would benefit more from community-based punishment. The Sun says this means pedos will be let out.
I suppose The Sun is basically saying it doesn't consider paedophilia to be a serious offence. Perhaps that's why it has sixteen-year-old girls with their baps out on page three.
It's so bollocks, it's funny.
I think Judge Bloke has the right idea, but well, it's not populist enough is it?
Which is pretty much what happened to me.
None of this is ever discussed because if you take the defendants into account too you are "soft on crime" and "ignoring the victims". It really is depressing sometimes just how little people understand.
Lots of times people tried to persuade me to embark on a criminal venture funny they would always say "theres no danger of getting caught" which meant to my ears they were certain to get caught, and they did.
Iv a clean record apart from a caution for possetion of dope when was 17.
"come on mate I know how to bypass the alarm's on Audi's with a screwdriver Iv done it loads of times theres no danger of getting caught"
I did used to get this guy to shop lift for me what ever I wanted normally for 1/3 of the retail price, he was OK been caught loads of times, he only did shop lifting as he said the courts were much more lienent with that than breaking and entering or robbing from peoples houses,
Funny he got chased down the street by security guards when they caught up with him he started shouting "help Help Im being raped" I didnt see this but it was well known.
Next time I say him on the buss a few years after this (bout 5 years ago now)
"I said alright Glen hows it going, you look a bit tired"
"yeah Iv just shot myself up with herion"
Probably dead now.
I've known a few people who've done Community Service and none of them thought it was the 'soft option'. They thought they had had a lucky escape and I think it was the thought of having just escaping a jail term was the best rehabilitation of all.
Jail is an expensive waste of time for a large number of people who are sent there.
CS was a dos to be honest.
I still realise that I came very close to getting bird - it's still a kick up the arse, a reality check.