CHASING STATISTICS, NOT VILLAINS…
By ATWadmin On July 31st, 2008It’s not surprising to read that defence solicitors in England and Wales have warned
serious offenders are getting off lightly because police are chasing
performance targets, not villains! They said on-the-spot fines and cautions are overused to boost convictions and avoid court cases.The latest Home Office figures for fixed penalties show a 37% increase in 2006, with a 17% rise in cautions.
The Ministry of Justice said “it is not always necessary” for crimes to be dealt with in court. You can say that again, particularly when the same neo-Orwellian Ministry is driven by a desire to manipulate the crime figures so that a worried populace is lulled into a false sense of security. It’s the same scam they use in the Education and Health areas – it is the corruption of statistics, the setting of targets that are then met by re-defining standards, and the ongoing amelioration of public confidence.
It is becoming more and more obvious that the criminal justice system is in crisis. Not enough prison places, uber-liberal sentencing guidelines and a police service more concerned with statistics than catching and prosecuting criminals.
In a proper democracy this story would force the resignation of the responsible minister – Jack Straw – after being held to account in parliament. Neither of these things will happen.
It comes down to a simple equation:
Catch a murderer, trial + jail = REVENUE LOSS!
Catch motorist 85 kph in 80 kph zone = REVENUE GAIN!
English, Welsh, Scots?? I’m not sure who invented it but I’m putting my dosh on the Irish government.
Feel safe David?