Why the Wait For RSA Killer Sentence?

Justice Potter's thirty-three year non-parole period is a great improvement from the past, but a just criminal justice system would not have had to wait for months, ACT Justice Spokesman Stephen Franks said today

"Justice Potter, the prosecution and the defence already said enough by the end of the trial for us to know that, if ever a case called for life imprisonment, this was it. There should have been no doubt from the moment of the guilty verdicts. These killers should have a sentence which means they will never enjoy freedom again.

"Life means life and truth in sentencing are not idle slogans. They worked. When the death penalty was abolished, law abiding citizens were gulled into thinking that life imprisonment was an effective substitute but less barbaric. At that time we had averaged around two murders per year for 40 years. Of course "life" soon meant 14 and then ten years, and our current murder rate of over 30 times speaks for itself.

"Even dramatically increased minimum non-parole periods still sends the message that you can take a life without anyone ensuring there will be some balance between the suffering inflicted and the community's response.

"The killers are going into a prison system soggy with theories that criminals are victims entitled to more help and treatment than the real victims. A simple certainty that brutally taking a life would mean life in prison - for the rest of your natural life - would provide justice for the victims and their families, Mr Franks said.

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