whats going on with the length people aregetting for crimes

[Lindsey81]

I dont get what I am seeing on the news nearly everyday I mean child rapists get like 2 years some bloke avoiding taxes gets like 12years so in our country we saying mess with the children of britian but dont mess with our goverment this place makes me mad

[undercovers]

i agree i think the government should release the judicary from the sentence constraints they impose upon them and free the judges to make the appropriate decisions based on the evidence provided, by following previous convictions etc the punishments could be standardised (e.g. different people getting the same punishment for doing the same crime) and when a problem occurs, be that a too lenient term or an unusually harsh punishment the judicary should be left to decide what is correct (e.g. an appeals process). True seperation of powers is what we need!

[jno]

I think laws only provide a range of sentences and leave it up to the judges which ones to apply. If that was abolished you'd really see a wide range - tough Yorkshire judges hanging you for stealing a loaf of bread while soft southerners let rapists run wild on the streets.

[undercovers]

i think if left alone the judicary could self regulate the length of terms imposed properly, at the moment they are undermined firstly by govt sentence guidelines and then by the parole board that reduces all sentences given - forcing the judges into a strange position when passing judgements. I think that people would have more faith in the criminal justice system if the judge could sentence how they see fit (within the range prescribed by past cases and with a review panel of judges checking this where necessary) and the sentence they give is what is actually served without the need for a seperate board unconnected to the trial and without the benefit of all the trial evidence deciding to release the prisoner after half the term... reform reform reform (can we reform parliament while we are at it)

[Dicko_82]

I agree sentences handed out these days always appear far too lenient.

Unless you are convicted with an 'offence' related to a football match, where the judiciary will hand a very harsh sentence for a relative minor offence.

What do the judiciary of this country have against football supporters?