Report to the People
19th March 2007
Honest Justice
The crazy system of automatic
release for serious offenders was in the dock in the Scottish Parliament last
Thursday - and MSPs voted to lock it up and throw away the key.
If
bitter experience hadn't taught us better, we'd be amazed that offenders
sentenced to four years or more, who are not released on licence half-way
through their sentence by the Parole Board, are automatically let out after
serving only two-thirds of their time.
If
we are to have faith in our courts, we must be confident that sentences mean
what they say.
The
Parliament has therefore passed the Custodial
Sentences and Weapons Bill, which will
end this automatic and often unconditional early release system and will subject
offenders to restrictions throughout their entire sentence.
Under the new laws, a sentence will be
divided into custodial and community portions.
The custodial punishment part must be at least half of the overall
sentence, but could be increased by the judge or the Parole Board if an offender
poses a serious risk to the public.
All offenders serving 15 days or more will
be under licence conditions when serving the community part - and face a return
to jail for breaches of these conditions. No
longer will offenders walk free at an arbitrary point of their sentence
regardless of behaviour, no strings attached.
Honesty in sentencing and the proper
monitoring of offenders while out on licence will not only protect the public,
it will help restore our confidence in the justice system.
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