Changes to bring the Supreme Court in line with the rest of Australia

GnT said :

I’m very uncomfortable with the idea of prison as ‘punishment’. This to me is pure revenge. Prison should be about removing people from society so they are not a threat. Prison is appropriate for some repeat or violent offenders. It is not appropriate merely because ‘society’, or worse, the victim, expects it.

The ACT has a low rate of imprisonment compared with other jurisdictions. But this does not mean that we are wrong and they are right. We don’t have to live up to NSW in this area.

Here here. Finally. Someone who understands what our only justice system is about. Serving justice. Not a hug for you and your victim experience, not so that you can now move on with your life, not so that crimes can be made public for a bored community. Remember that courts and the law are for all the people. Made by the people, for the people. All people. Albeit standing accused. Pain and suffering money will find its way to you should you deserve it. xxx

I’m very uncomfortable with the idea of prison as ‘punishment’. This to me is pure revenge. Prison should be about removing people from society so they are not a threat. Prison is appropriate for some repeat or violent offenders. It is not appropriate merely because ‘society’, or worse, the victim, expects it.

The ACT has a low rate of imprisonment compared with other jurisdictions. But this does not mean that we are wrong and they are right. We don’t have to live up to NSW in this area.

In the case of serious crimes, like violence, repeated robbery, repeated car offences etc, there has to be some form of proper punishment. Rehab is good, but society expects punishment as well. Society expects the victims to see some kind of consequences for what was done to them. The current situation sees the criminals treated almost as victims themselves, and that’s not fair and it’s not right.

By all means, program in some rehab, but first, there must be punishment.

Increasing the minimum requirements for Supreme Court trials makes a lot of sense – what a waste of time and money to tie up a higher court with matters easily dealt with in the Magistrates Court. I doubt it has a lot to do with crims chosing what may be an easier ride.

Juries don’t impose sentences, they just find facts.

I don’t agree that trial by jury is a better option. A close friend of mine was a member of a jury on two separate occasions in the past year and several of her fellow jurors were extremely reluctant to impose a harsh sentence because they “felt sorry” for the defendant (on both occasions). She couldn’t believe what was happening, but she was out-voted.

A politician trying to sound tough on crime? Must be an election coming up…

Karralika was set up as a ‘voluntary attendance’ drug rehab. Not somewhere to sentence repeat armed robbers to for 2 year stretches.

It is inappropriate for them, and also not good for the other attendees who are not crooks (if any can actually gain admittance if there is ever a free spot, when the place isn’t filled with court ordered attendees).

For those with a propensity for crime, this is the place to do it. Why aren’t these Supreme Court Judges take into consideration the message they’re sending to the community when they hand down these sentences?

They’re not worth the $318,000 pa they’re getting paid. Bullcarp.

Sepi, very wise words. Karralika is a F8cking joke.

Rehabilitation is a great idea, but I don’t think letting people go with a conviction but no sentence, or a bit of community service or even weekend detention is my idea of ‘rehabilitation’.

And one guy was apparently ‘sentenced’ to Karalika drug rehab for 2 years. Fine. But Karalika is unlocked, leave when you like type of place. If judges want to ‘sentence’ people to drug rehab, there needs to be a locked facility for them to go to.

I didn’t read page 2!

I was also surprised they put the Cube manslaughter case in the same basket as a 29 yr old who raped his 14 yr old girlfriend 4 times in one day (and later broke her collar bone) and some armed robbers.