Law & Order?

Question

We all moan about crime & 'lightweight ' judges & meaningless sentences for criminals....... If you were given a free hand to sort it out what would you do?

Answer 1

with any child rapist and murderer I would check on the past history - if they have a long list of previous crimes and there is irefutable (sorry can't spell) proof that they did the crime then they would be hung.
I would also follow the "tent" city idea that is in the USA jails - you go to prison to suffer not to have luxury!
Drink drivers would get higher fines and longer sentances.
Benefit cheats would have their money reduced significantly - and there would be NO benefits for those who are physically and mentally capable of working ie why should they receive tax payers money for sitting on their bums doing nothing from when they left school????
We would have border control - ie austrailia didn't let the immigrants in last year - they refused to let the boat come in.

Oooh I would do lots!!!!!!!

Answer 2

Firstly I would introduce the American system of elected judges- if they were in fear of losngtheir priveliged position then they would hopefully be a bit more compliant and tougher. It would also mean that more ordinary people would enter the judiciary, rather than Oxbridge educated, public school boys.
With this would come a separation of politics and the law, as too many judges now base their decisions upon their political ties, and/or could be influenced to make a particular decison in a politically important case. The dual role of the Lords in both passing Bills into Acts, as well as hearing select appeals, is also open to political abuse and so must be stopped.
Also, I would also bring back tougher punishments such as industrial schools and also borstals for younger offenders, including first time offenders, instead of namby-pamby multiplt community sentences which do NOT work. This would focus on identifying the specific educational needs of juvenile delinquants- many young offenders in YOI have learning difficulties and other conditions such as ADHD.
I would also merge the solicitor and barristers together, so legal students wouldn't have to choose between the two. It would also clean up the system, with a single person assigned to a case rather than a case being given to a solicitor and then handed to a barrister, which involves duplication and often the barrister is given his bundle on the morning of the trial, leading to wasted time.
I would also have stricter regimes within prisons, perhaps with the reintroduction of hard labour as a standard punishment. The scrapping of voting rights and also rights to TV and other similar priveliges would also be partially removed. But with this I would ensure that mentally ill offenders are treated appropriately- many mentally ill offenders are either never assessed/diagnosed or not given the treatment that they then need.
There should also be stronger support for the victim from the law. Some countries allow the victim to choose the sentence- it may be possible for this country's system to take the victims suggestions into account, if sensible and also not as a definite sentence but an influencing factor.
I have failed to mention capital punishment for the simple fact I don't agree with it on moral and also legal grounds. Present human rights legislation means that a death penalty would not be possible unless we left the EU, which would be damaging to our economy, society and legal system, and under the present Labour government, highly unlikely due to strong alliances within the EU. I also feel that there is too much margin for error, and it is for the Lord God to take a life, not a mortal.
There also must be an emphasis by the legal system on the white, Christian majority on this country, and not the Muslim/Romany Gypsy/homosexual/black minorities. I'm not racist, but I feel the present legal system is too scared to challenge the cultural practices, some illegal, of some religions and cultures, seen in the recent refusal of the Government to ban 'arranged' marriages, despite overwhelming evidence that young girls are being beaten, raped, threatened or even killed. Such shamful bowing to pressure should not happen in a democracy. I will accept though that some arranged marriages do work.
Indeed the legal system should just apply the law to the facts, rather than being swayed by these outside facts.
A lot is wrong with our legal system, with most of its practices dating hundreds of years. It will change as an institution, but slowly and also with pressure from those it is meant to serve- us.

Answer 3

Justice is not static or thoughtless process. Every case is different, every person is different, therefore every sentence will be different.

You cannot put everyone who commits a crime in jail. You cannot keep all offenders in jail for life. Our jails are at 160% of capacity - we have the highest number per capita of jail inmates in the western world. Having stiffer sentences is not the solution.

The crime rate dropped significantly in the mid-1990's. This is despite having fewer officers on the street in 1995 than we had in 1985 (per capita). The reason: jobs - viable, non-WalMart jobs. When people are working and able to support themselves, the crime rate drops. It is pretty much that simple.

What would I do? Promote job growth through tax incentives, disincentives for outsourcing. Focus on real jobs that pay enough to live (discourage WalMarts)

Answer 4

I would ask the victims families.... if they wanted life for a life and wanted to kill that person themselves then let them go ahead. Child rapists...if the family wanted castration then let them do it...I know if a bunch of women got their hands on a child rapist or sex abuser or murderer they would NEVER even THINK about re offending. Call it barbaric if you like but the loss the families feel is often forgotten about and after a few months 'good behaviour' in prison the bastards are released to get on with their lives. All of the anger and frustration that the families feel would be vented and that might help their healing process....they are victims too. They must feel totally powerless at the moment and let down by the British legal system.

Answer 5

I don't think there is an easy answer, but what is clear is that prison does not do much to rehabilitate offenders, and isn't that what we all want, people becoming decent citizens? The re-offending rate for people coming out of prison is very high, and also, the cost to the taxpayer for keeping people in prison is very high. I think the time has come to re-examine the criminal justice system and think of alternative ways of dealing with people who commit crimes.

Answer 6

Harsher sentences, and a lower level of proof for conviction. At the moment the level of proof is 'beyond reasonable doubt' for crimial cases, I would bring avcross the balance of probabilities from civil law. Criminals losing the majority of their human rights. Thats my main problem with the law at the moment.

Answer 7

jail is not the answer, if they are not going away for life (danger to public) they shouldnt go at all. jail turns criminals into meaner smarter criminals, and is soooo expensive. I would use those ankle monitors n make them do community service for long periods...ie sat/sunday for next 10 years helping in projects such as habitat for humanity n train them for jobs so they dont need to steal or sell drugs for a living.

Answer 8

Solitary for all priosners.

They learn more crimes while in prison and the few innocents who are arrested should be allowed to live in peace free of the violence of the guilty.

Answer 9

I like your name....The system isn't perfect, but I do believe it is the best way. I wish some penalties were heavier for certain crimes and lighter for others, but beyond that I have great faith in our justice system.

Answer 10

Bring back deterents like, borstals,hanging and longer sentences that mean what they are. 10 uears is 10 years served.