Monday 23 March 2009

Should Life Mean Life?

After all the murder trials in the news, I have been doing a lot of thinking about our criminal justice system, and its sentencing policies. I hear that someone has been given life in prison. And yet, is it really life when within the same sentence you hear that someone will have to serve a minimum of ten years, or seven years, or seventeen years? It makes me think...should life mean life? For the very worst crimes, the most violent, the premeditated, should one even consider release? The victim cannot walk free in ten years, or seven years, or seventeen years. The victim's life is gone. The victim's family will not be released from the sense of loss and pain in a set number of years either. Should our sentences be more specific? I would like to know what you think. Should a true life sentence be given for the most horrific crimes, a sentence of life without the possibility of parole

And what about other criminal activity...are we getting the sentencing right today? Is prison a deterent? Should we have tougher sentencing? Do we need "zero tolerance" within our criminal justice system? Should building more prisons be a priority? Or, is there a better way for justice to be served? I look forward to hearing what you think.