Is Current Legislation Murdering Us?
05/06/2014
The Sensible Sentencing Trust is concerned that current legislation is causing the unlawful killings of good New
Zealanders.
“I want to know what the numbers are!” Garth McVicar SST CEO and National Spokesperson says. “How many of these
legislations, which have been specifically designed to get offenders back on the street and integrated within our
communities, have played a part on violent recidivist offending?”
McVicar is concerned about the eligibility of parole and how easily bail is now granted. Meaning more ‘high risk’
offenders living in our communities under a monitoring system that is failing the nation.
“The scary fact is that you can be considered for parole only after serving one-third of your sentence…this is
appalling,” he says. “Time and time again we are seeing those among us who have been released too early, and have not
served the entire ‘judge’ sentence, come into our communities and reoffend, some with dire consequence for innocent
Kiwis.”
SST is calling on the government to look at those legislations that are inhibiting innocent Kiwis to information that
may save their lives, and their rights as hard-working tax paying citizens.
“We have the right to not be tortured, and a right to life,” McVicar says. “What rights do we really have if those who
wish to commit heinous crimes towards us are given opportunity after opportunity to kill our friends and family? The
system is failing us.”
Many other countries also have Violent Offender Registers that are carefully monitored. New Zealand currently does not
have any type of Justice department run register. SST runs a volunteer Offenders Database for the general public that
can be found at www.sst.org.nz/offenders-database/
“We are also concerned perhaps certain justice departments are not communicating about offenders,” McVicar says. “At the
end of the day is the judge who is making the final decision have all the information on that offender and if they are
suitable for release…and if not, why not?”
“There could just be a public enquiry in our midst’s”.
ENDS