Many Tory MPs went mad after they proposed to allow criminals to serve only half their sentence if they plead guilty at an early stage. The judge decided that this wasn’t a good idea and dropped this case entirely. This idea started with the intention to cut the prison population by 3000 people in England and Wales and by doing so it would also cut the probation bill by 20% over four years. Ministers had many ideas as “minimum tariffs for imprisonment, release more defendants on bail and increase the use of community sentences”. However, the idea to cut 50% of a criminals prison years appealed the best for them. The Labour party said that such an idea had won the backing of penal reform campaigners was ludicrous and Sadiq Khan, the shadow justice secretary, said that a criminal justice system should protect the public and punish the criminals and that this was the only way to cut crime.
I think this is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard in my life. How can ministers seriously intend to cut half of a criminal’s punishment? What if it is a rapist or a serial killer who admits that he has done everything they say and then reward him for being honest? That must be the most insane thing I’ve ever heard. I am glad that the judge wasn’t as insane as the ministers who came up with this idea and luckily dropped this case entirely. Fortunately, we still have people in our country who haven’t lost their minds.
I don't think it is as insane an idea as you think it is, yet I definitely don't agree with the proposal that now fortunately is abandoned.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI do think a sentence should be based on more than just the felony itself. Other criteria should mainly be based on how likely a criminal is to commit a crime again once out of prison again, if such a judgement can be made. A reduction of the sentence by half though, seems waaaaay too much to me, especially when solely based on the fact that one pleaded guilty.
I think sentence reduction to a lesser degree than 50% could well be justified and may well be a good idea if based on multiple criteria, like whether or not the criminal shows remorse and commitment to better his or her life once out of prison. Perhaps psychological tests could play a role in such judgements as well.