tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33696095.post7505984825675713201..comments2024-03-20T16:27:56.522+00:00Comments on Norfolk Blogger: Sometimes things happen to make me think unliberal thoughtsNich Starlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04237390959601973501noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33696095.post-70716248566167837142008-02-11T22:54:00.000+00:002008-02-11T22:54:00.000+00:00My heartfelt sympathy goes out to Garry Newlove's ...My heartfelt sympathy goes out to Garry Newlove's family at this terrible time, and may i say that what these mindless thugs recieved as their sentences will never be enough. I say that we should pull out all our hard working troups from iraq and other war torn parts of the world and send the likes of these scum over there and maybe then we will see just how hard they are, i can tell you they would'nt last five minutes may they rot in hell for what they did to this man and his adoring family. To Garry's family may the nations prayers and best wishes be with you always.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33696095.post-5194916379172680782008-01-18T13:12:00.000+00:002008-01-18T13:12:00.000+00:001) if you want to abolish all parole then by all m...1) if you want to abolish all parole then by all means campaign for that - but a life sentence means what it says in the context of the criminal justice system, in exactly the same way that a 12-year sentence means what it says.<BR/><BR/>2) in general, consecutive sentences are given for different sorts of crime (i.e. if you defraud a granny and then get into a pub fight, you'll get serve one then the other) whereas concurrent sentences are given for the same sort of crime (i.e. if you defraud 2 grannies, then your sentences for each fraud will be longer than if you'd only defrauded one, but they'll be served at the same time). I suppose that implies that if you're a contract killer who also rapes people for fun, you might get consecutive life sentences - but in general, it'll fit the rules for concurrent. However, the fact that you've done 5 murders will both increase your tariff and make the parole board much less likely to ever release you.John Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17024263999778310292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33696095.post-67524813345393295402008-01-17T20:38:00.000+00:002008-01-17T20:38:00.000+00:00I know you are only let on "on license" if you are...I know you are only let on "on license" if you are given a life term, but 12 years really is not a life sentence is it. <BR/><BR/>Another point that I did not raise is concurrent sentences. Why do people get 5 life sentences ? Surely they should run consecutively, not concurrently ?Nich Starlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04237390959601973501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33696095.post-11953157632709307202008-01-17T19:20:00.000+00:002008-01-17T19:20:00.000+00:00Noooooooooo! You're letting the Daily Mailists get...Noooooooooo! You're letting the Daily Mailists get you you...<BR/><BR/>Seriously:<BR/>1) a life sentence *is* for life. If you are released (which only happens if you are able to convince a parole board that you would not present a danger to society) you spend the rest of your life on license, able to be returned to jail indefinitely not only for committing other serious crimes but also for simply breaching your conditions.<BR/><BR/>2) the magistrate (thelawwestofealingbroadway.blogspot.com) had a very interesting document on his site, which I can't find, in which the public were asked:<BR/>a) what sentence should people get for [crime X]<BR/>b) what sentence do people currently get for [crime X]<BR/><BR/>It found that people's guesses for b were far lower than reality, and indeed that generally people's guesses for a were about in line with the average sentence received.John Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17024263999778310292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33696095.post-85643774705893534752008-01-17T14:54:00.000+00:002008-01-17T14:54:00.000+00:00It's not un-liberal to ask such questions, surely....It's not un-liberal to ask such questions, surely. I don't remember anything in Mill's "On Liberty" commending leaving vandalism and violence unpunished but I do remember a great deal about individual liberty being limited where it involves harm to others. NOt having my copy to hand, the question I find hard is finding a rationale for the idea of a punishment "fitting" a crime. The teenage thugs who battered Mr Newlove to death have way to go to prove they are not a complete waste of space, but we don't subscribe to the eye for an eye theory - otherwise it would be capital punishment for all three.Jo Hayeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10803288642110038102noreply@blogger.com