supporting "3 strikes and you're out" ?

[falkor]

I am looking for members to support the following, which I propose to add to our "main site"

do you support it? if so, why? anything you write in this topic can automatically be quoted on the static site unless you clearly show in the post otherwise
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This country needs a dynamic and robust sentencing policy right across the UK to deal with REPEAT OFFENDERS, who have nothing to fear from our pathetically weak justice system.

Anybody convicted of their third indictable offence should receive a minimum of thirty years consecutive imprisonment, no discounts for pleading guilty, no getting out in 1/4 of the 30 years, they serve 30 years the whole 30 years and nothing but the 30 years IN PRISON

We are seeing repeat offenders released from prison who go straight back out and commit more indictable offences the same month of their release from prison. This is not protecting the public, this is endangering the public with the release of criminals who we know will reoffend again and again and again.

Nobody would deny that somebody can make a mistake, get in bad company and through poor judgement and bad decisions end up before a court. Such a person should be given another chance, of course! However upon a third conviction for an indictable offence ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, this country's current justice system sees repeat offenders go in and out of prison with the ethos "catch me if you can" - these people will go on with their criminal activities until they get caught the next time and the next time and the next time, this is not the way to deal with them, the British public are paying the price of such a rubbish system and it is time we had what we need instead :THREE STRIKES AND YOU'RE OUT

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if you agree with the above then say so in a reply!

[sc24]

In principle l agree, but think the judges sitting on the bench need to be more in touch with the real world. Hopefully it would deter would be criminals. At present there is no deterrent, or the fine is pitiful.

Also is there enough room in the prisons to house these people??

[xbob89]

I think I'd prefer to see a system where sentencing for the first offence was robust enough to deter a 2nd being committed upon release.
Prison should be a horrible experience - somewhere that even the worst so called street "gangstas" are afraid of.
The sight of the "children" coming out of court today having been handed out pointless referral orders for their part in the recent mass burglaries made me wonder why we bother.
I understand that the 11 year old girl was smirking during her trial...

So, whilst a 30 year sentence for a 3rd offence could be an option I would rather see this negated by sentences fitting the crimes in the first place.
A 5 year sentence for burglary should mean 5 years... no discount for good behaviour....how about MORE time for bad behaviour??
No fully equipped gyms for the lags or TV, mobile phones etc etc... lets give them basic food... basic clothing....cardboard furniture...make them EARN any extra luxuries.
Oh....and put them to work too!

Oh dear...can just hear the doo gooders bleating about human rights....lol

[arab]

In principle, yes... Prison has to be a deterrent, not an alternative lifestyle choice when things get too tough on the outside.

[elcapitan]

YES YES YES...you get my vote

and although he is no longer with us, Typecastboy says yes too!

Bang 'em Up and dont let them out!

[morley sherrif]

A big yes from me. This country of ours has got to make a stand and say enough is enough. Rights for the victims, not for the offenders. Those responsible for the riots, then set them to hard labour. Make them clean up the mess they have created, and make them pay finacially.

[PI & GI]

yes! yes! yes! yes! time for the SCUMINALS to PAY!

[jay1]

Yes Yes Yes
But a straight 30yr sentance for first time child abusers and sex offenders

[mj12cz]

I do, but the cost would be massive, just think of the amount of new prisons you would need to build!

[PCSO Mickyboy]

YES

[falkor]

thanks for your support

here are some replies from the Prison Officer site

as much as i agree with it, the reality can be quite stupid.

for example they use it in California, 3 strikes = life. now you can Google it and read the stories for yourself but there is someone doing life for stealing a slice of pizza worth 50p, his previous two strikes where for minor crimes he did as a youngster. he had gone 20-30 years without committing a crime. so do we include crimes committed under 18 in this? also what about people who commit multiple offenses in one go? for example they steal a car, do a runner from the police and then fight the police when they try to arrest them and are found to have a bit of class B/A in there pocket? is that one night of craziness worth 30 years??!?

when you consider a lot of our murderers don't do 30 years it seems a bit OTT for minor criminals. and then there is the cost, the only thing that makes me sicker then repeat offenders is the fact my tax money is paying for them, the idea of paying for them for 30 year doesn't sit well, where do we put them? where is all this money going to come from?

i agree that repeat offending has to be stopped and harsher sentencing is key to that, but we must still use common sense.

I replied to that

You'd probably have more chance of bringing back hanging or national service. Especially for looters. They might consider that one at the moment as quite a few have got a sweat on over that 'relatively minor' social issue. After all, it's a beast of their own creation. It's been give, give, give for years now. At which point did they not think it would become take, take, take. It's no longer just hardcore criminals that are totally fearless. The system just does not scare people any more. They know what they're getting long before they get anywhere near a courtroom.

didn't reply to that one, any thoughts?

[PCSO Mickyboy]

Ping has a point. The big boys gangsters don't give a monkey about the justice system

[Flying Warden]

Proper sentencing, a sentence taking into consideration the criminals way of life on the outside for example ASB that doesn't go to court, the effects on the victim/s, the effects on the local area the criminal targets etc.
Prison should not be a soft option. If prison costs more, and new prisons are needed then so be it.

What the politicians don't seem to realise is that we do get fed up of seeing the same old criminals come back out of prison and just get on with their crimes.

[falkor]

well yeah, that is the whole point of "THREE STRIKES"

'three strikes' properly deals with your serious repeat offender

DO YOU SUPPORT IT? that's what this thread is asking

[Bert Moffat]

Another American import...

I'm with Bob and would prefer to see tougher first sentencing along with less comfy prisons.

Look at some of the cases in the States where people have been sentenced to 30 yrs for three petty shopliftings - hardly proportionate.