Criminal decision fails victims.Byline: GEORGE TYNDALE A NEW get out of jail card has just been handed to burglars and thieves who appear in our courts. On it is written one word. Addict Any individual who habitually uses any narcotic drug so as to endanger the public morals, health, safety, or welfare, or who is so drawn to the use of such narcotic drugs as to have lost the power of self-control with reference to his or her drug use. . If they claim they committed an offence because of their addiction to drugs, booze or even gambling then the courts have just been ordered to treat them with special leniency le·ni·en·cy n. pl. le·ni·en·cies 1. The condition or quality of being lenient. See Synonyms at mercy. 2. A lenient act. Noun 1. . Why? In my view committing a crime to finance a trip to the bookies makes the wrongdoing worse, not better. Whatever happened to that Labour promise to focus on the victims of crime and not the offenders? Obviously it has been thrown out along with the old principle of making the punishment fit the crime. Instead we are intent on making the failure to punish fit a bleeding-heart, he's-a-victim-too view of the criminal. Letting offenders walk away with what is laughably laugh·a·ble adj. Causing or deserving laughter or derision. laugh  a·ble·ness n. called a
community punishment is becoming a habit in our courts.
And it's a very dangerous habit i ndeed. |
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