A BRILLIANT idea from Lord Chief Justice Woolf. Send less criminals to jail!
By TREVOR KAVANAGH
Political Editor
BRITAIN’S top judge yesterday called for a sentencing shake-up that would put FEWER criminals in jail.
Lord Chief Justice Woolf’s views fly in the face of international evidence that reveals crime PLUNGES when hardened offenders are sent to prison.
And last night a top think-tank warned his proposals would lead to an explosion of lawlessness.
The judge said prison should be reserved only for the worst crimes. These included murder, violent assault and white collar offences plus fine defaulters.
Fraudsters not muggers, he suggested, should experience the “clang of the prison door”.
Experts believe the judge’s shake-up call — made as he prepares to retire — would mean paedophiles, sex offenders and burglars escaping jail.
Lord Woolf said in an interview with The Guardian: “While I firmly believe that for serious and violent crimes there is no alternative to a custodial sentence, I also believe passionately on taking steps to turn people away from crime.
“One major challenge is to convince the public that non-custodial sentences do provide a satisfactory punishment to offenders.”
But experience has proved society is protected by being tough on criminals. In America, violence and other serious offences slumped after elected judges began putting serial offenders away every time.
New York cut serious crime by focusing on petty offences under its famous “cracked windows” policy. As beggars and graffiti artists were driven off the streets, murders and assaults also fell.
In Britain, recorded crime crashed 18 per cent in the 1990s when Tories toughened sentencing and built more jails.
Today, England and Wales have the fourth HIGHEST recorded crime rate in 39 European countries. It is 1½ times the EU average.
Legal think-tank Civitas last night said victims were being ignored in the proposals at the expense of criminals.
Spokesman Robert Whelan said: “Lord Woolf wants to confine the use of prison to serious and dangerous offenders.
“He ignores the large number of criminals, mostly young men, who commit volumes of crime such as burglary, vandalism, theft, car crime and persistent anti-social behaviour.
“Their behaviour can have devastating effects on the lives of those around them.
“They need to be dealt with seriously and in many cases they deserve a prison sentence.
“Prison has a deterrent effect. If they know they are likely to go to jail they are more likely to control themselves.”
Tory MP and barrister Oliver Heald said: “There must be no doubt that people who commit paedophile offences, sexual assaults and burglaries should be sent to prison.
“It’s not acceptable if judges decide things are not serious when the public and Parliament think they are serious.”
Mr Heald, Tory spokesman on constitutional affairs, also fears killer drivers could get community sentences rather than jail under Lord Woolf’s proposals.
A spokesman for the judge said: “Lord Woolf has made it clear publicly many times that prison sentences should be imposed or considered in a wide variety of cases.
“This is specifically in cases involving criminals who are a danger to the public or who have committed serious crimes.
“Any suggestion that his comments can be interpreted as suggesting that serious offences will be treated lightly by the courts is quite wrong.”
* DAVID Blunkett promised a year ago while Home Secretary that 1,300 more prison spaces would be created. The Home Office admits that has not been achieved but promises 1,000 by next June.
thesun.co.uk
By TREVOR KAVANAGH
Political Editor
BRITAIN’S top judge yesterday called for a sentencing shake-up that would put FEWER criminals in jail.
Lord Chief Justice Woolf’s views fly in the face of international evidence that reveals crime PLUNGES when hardened offenders are sent to prison.
And last night a top think-tank warned his proposals would lead to an explosion of lawlessness.
The judge said prison should be reserved only for the worst crimes. These included murder, violent assault and white collar offences plus fine defaulters.
Fraudsters not muggers, he suggested, should experience the “clang of the prison door”.
Experts believe the judge’s shake-up call — made as he prepares to retire — would mean paedophiles, sex offenders and burglars escaping jail.
Lord Woolf said in an interview with The Guardian: “While I firmly believe that for serious and violent crimes there is no alternative to a custodial sentence, I also believe passionately on taking steps to turn people away from crime.
“One major challenge is to convince the public that non-custodial sentences do provide a satisfactory punishment to offenders.”
But experience has proved society is protected by being tough on criminals. In America, violence and other serious offences slumped after elected judges began putting serial offenders away every time.
New York cut serious crime by focusing on petty offences under its famous “cracked windows” policy. As beggars and graffiti artists were driven off the streets, murders and assaults also fell.
In Britain, recorded crime crashed 18 per cent in the 1990s when Tories toughened sentencing and built more jails.
Today, England and Wales have the fourth HIGHEST recorded crime rate in 39 European countries. It is 1½ times the EU average.
Legal think-tank Civitas last night said victims were being ignored in the proposals at the expense of criminals.
Spokesman Robert Whelan said: “Lord Woolf wants to confine the use of prison to serious and dangerous offenders.
“He ignores the large number of criminals, mostly young men, who commit volumes of crime such as burglary, vandalism, theft, car crime and persistent anti-social behaviour.
“Their behaviour can have devastating effects on the lives of those around them.
“They need to be dealt with seriously and in many cases they deserve a prison sentence.
“Prison has a deterrent effect. If they know they are likely to go to jail they are more likely to control themselves.”
Tory MP and barrister Oliver Heald said: “There must be no doubt that people who commit paedophile offences, sexual assaults and burglaries should be sent to prison.
“It’s not acceptable if judges decide things are not serious when the public and Parliament think they are serious.”
Mr Heald, Tory spokesman on constitutional affairs, also fears killer drivers could get community sentences rather than jail under Lord Woolf’s proposals.
A spokesman for the judge said: “Lord Woolf has made it clear publicly many times that prison sentences should be imposed or considered in a wide variety of cases.
“This is specifically in cases involving criminals who are a danger to the public or who have committed serious crimes.
“Any suggestion that his comments can be interpreted as suggesting that serious offences will be treated lightly by the courts is quite wrong.”
* DAVID Blunkett promised a year ago while Home Secretary that 1,300 more prison spaces would be created. The Home Office admits that has not been achieved but promises 1,000 by next June.
thesun.co.uk
We have an overabundance of them in our country too.