Justice for all? Or just some?
I do find it odd in New Zealand's justice system that a criminal can get legal aid but a victims family can't.
I find it odd that sometimes New Zealand's overly politically correct view on things care more that the people in our prisons get three square a day and have a room of their own while families who lose loved ones have empty rooms and little comfort.
I find it odd even now, to contemplate a legal system where the old adage, 'eye for an eye' has not even been brought back into consideration. I mean, we may be willing to contemplate a 3 strikes system where on the third conviction you are locked away for good...but not willing to contemplate a legal system where the tax payer stops paying for criminals.
If I remember right, the cost of having someone behind bars is roughly $80,000 a year here in New Zealand. Roughly twice the average wage of a New Zealander is spent on keeping someone housed, fed, clothed and 'entertained' in our prisons. Take a recent example of Clayton Weatherston and his conviction and sentence. At 18 years before he is eligible for parole, the tax payer will have paid $1,440,000 not including any annual cost increases over the 18 years before he can come out. Graham Burton, the psycho from Wellington who was released on parole, killed while on parole got 26 years, $2,080,000 + additional costs.
I think its high time that the justice system introduced a murder 1/2 system. In most US States this is "First Degree Murder: An intentional killing by means of poison, or by lying in wait, or by any other kind of willful, deliberate and premeditated action" or essentially what we have as murder.
The second degree could be "Second Degree Murder: Homicide committed by an individual engaged as a principal or an accomplice in the perpetration of a felony. You were a part of the premeditated act of killing someone.
The term capital murder essentially also include first degree murder.
Why don't we shoot them, hang them or drug them? Costs a hell of a lot less than $80,000 a year. A firing squad of 7, 6 blanks, 1 live bullet, no one knows who shot the one.
I find it odd that sometimes New Zealand's overly politically correct view on things care more that the people in our prisons get three square a day and have a room of their own while families who lose loved ones have empty rooms and little comfort.
I find it odd even now, to contemplate a legal system where the old adage, 'eye for an eye' has not even been brought back into consideration. I mean, we may be willing to contemplate a 3 strikes system where on the third conviction you are locked away for good...but not willing to contemplate a legal system where the tax payer stops paying for criminals.
If I remember right, the cost of having someone behind bars is roughly $80,000 a year here in New Zealand. Roughly twice the average wage of a New Zealander is spent on keeping someone housed, fed, clothed and 'entertained' in our prisons. Take a recent example of Clayton Weatherston and his conviction and sentence. At 18 years before he is eligible for parole, the tax payer will have paid $1,440,000 not including any annual cost increases over the 18 years before he can come out. Graham Burton, the psycho from Wellington who was released on parole, killed while on parole got 26 years, $2,080,000 + additional costs.
I think its high time that the justice system introduced a murder 1/2 system. In most US States this is "First Degree Murder: An intentional killing by means of poison, or by lying in wait, or by any other kind of willful, deliberate and premeditated action" or essentially what we have as murder.
The second degree could be "Second Degree Murder: Homicide committed by an individual engaged as a principal or an accomplice in the perpetration of a felony. You were a part of the premeditated act of killing someone.
The term capital murder essentially also include first degree murder.
Why don't we shoot them, hang them or drug them? Costs a hell of a lot less than $80,000 a year. A firing squad of 7, 6 blanks, 1 live bullet, no one knows who shot the one.
Labels: Capital Punishment, Crime, Justice
posted by Wiremu Bayliss at
8:02 pm
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