Panel says burglars should not be jailed

ITN
Monday, July 7, 2008

Judges are being urged not to send burglars and petty thieves to jail.

The Sentencing Advisory Panel – which influences how criminals should be dealt with – reckons many should be handed community sentences instead.

It suggests unpaid work or a curfew would be a better punishment.

(Article continues below)

It also insisted that while the law does not allow the court to take the feelings of victims or bereaved relatives into account when they demand a harsh sentence, judges may listen to them if they are calling for leniency.

The panel published its consultation paper as part of a wide-ranging review of sentencing.

It aims to create an “overall ranking of offences” according to seriousness.

The document said: “The panel has concluded that a presumption in favour of a community order is most likely to be appropriate in relation to the less serious offences of theft and dishonesty, burglary and motoring offences, where there may be clear advantages in requiring an offender to serve a sentence in the community.”

The risk of an offender committing further, non-serious offences should not automatically lead to jail, the paper went on.

Full article here.

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2 Responses to “Panel says burglars should not be jailed”

1. Ryan Pat Says:
   July 9th, 2008 at 9:16 am

   finally, a little justice. Although this should have been happening anyway.

2. Gregory Fegel Says:
   July 9th, 2008 at 12:50 pm

   Since the police do not defend us against criminals and the justice system does not want us to defend ourselves against criminals, can anyone explain to me what purpose our police and criminal justice system serves, other than to make money off responsible citizens from speed traps, failure to wear seat belt tickets, and small-quantity marijauna busts?

   Now there is no one to protect us from the gangsters on the street, and likewise no one to protect us from the gangsters in patrol cars, courthouses, and legislative assemblies. And since none of our leaders respect or obey the Constitution, who can say that “we are a nation of laws?”