"Three Strikes" Is Working

Something To Be Thankful For

To the layman it would seem that the NZ justice and penal systems must be one of the more tolerant and permissive in the world.  The irony is that the people (that is, ordinary mums and dads) consistently expect criminal sentences to be weighty.  In NZ we have no death sentences.  It is, therefore, expected that serious sentences ought to manifest lengthy time in prisons.  There is no other form of punishment available.

For a long time now, it has been clear that judges (some, not all) appear to believe that any sentence longer than a dog whistle is unjust, cruel, and down right primitive.  Fortunately, the more conservative politicians have passed a "Three Strikes" law which requires repeat offending and sentences must attract progressively longer sentences. 

It is gratifying that "Three Strikes" is working.  It is both punishing the recalcitrant and protecting society from evil doers who have little or no regard for their evil actions.  This from David Farrar:

Despite best effort of Judges, three strikes is working

Another third strike sentence, this time for Wiremu Allen. 

Mr Allen’s third strike is for breaking into a house, demanding money from the victim, punching him and then shooting him in the left knee.

Allen has over 60 convictions. They include assaulting his partner in 2010 and threatening to shoot Police, as his first strike. He got 10 months for that. Not clear what the second strike is for, but it may have been assault within a prison.

Anyway Justice Clark says that for his latest offending, the sentence without three strikes would be a mere 25 months.  Thanks to the three strikes law, he has a sentence of seven years. Now Justice Clark said it would be unjust to make this without parole, but I doubt he will get it anyway. His history of offending would mean the Parole Board would be nuts to let him out early.

So I’d say the community will be safe from him for the best part of seven years. With 60 offences to date, it is clear he is not going to stop offending anytime soon.  Without Three Strikes he would have a mere 25 month sentence, and possibly even be out in nine months!