TRUST SUPPORTS CUTTING COMMUNITY BASED OFFENDERS BENEFIT FOR NON COMPLIANCE

15th October 2016
Sensible Sentencing Trust has come out in support of National MP Mark Mitchell’s members bill which would enable corrections to have community-based offender’s benefits cut for non-compliance.

“These offenders will be given two warnings for breach of their court-imposed sentences before their benefits are cut or cancelled and, where children are involved, there will be notification given to CYFS from the Ministry of Social Development if it is needed,” said SST national spokesperson for child abuse, Scott Guthrie.
“This bill is specific and targets anyone who is convicted of a crime, or anyone who is meant to be in the community doing their sentence and not carrying it out. Let's give Corrections another tool to be able to get them compliant. The aim is not to cut benefits; it is to incentivise offenders to complete their court given sentence. If offenders don’t want their benefits cut the solution is easy – do what the Judge has told them to do.”
“Corrections will be able to advise or request the Ministry of Social Development t either to withdraw part or the whole benefit payment for that person until they comply with their community sentence.”
Mr Guthrie said, “Processing an offender through the court for a breach of their community sentence would end up clogging the court system with petty crime which could easily be managed with the new tool Mr Mitchells Bill creates, freeing up court time for more important matters”.
“The time is long overdue where people need to be more responsible for their actions instead of ignoring the law and doing whatever they like,” Mr Guthrie said. “If someone is sentenced to community work or the likes, that someone should be compliant in doing their community work and, there is no exception to that rule.
“Our message to offenders is step up and be responsible for your actions and there won’t be any repercussions.” ENDS

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