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Archived Press Releases 2005 31st October 2005

Justice System in tatters

(31st October 2005)

Recent street violence and armed clashes between gangs of youths are a direct consequence of a failing justice system says the Sensible Sentencing Trust.

The Trust believes New Zealand’s Justice System is in tatters; it has lost direction and completely lost the respect and confidence of the people it is supposed to serve.

Trust spokesman Garth McVicar said that NZ now has a legal system that has nothing to do with justice anymore, "a young progressive multi cultural society such as New Zealand needs clear leadership, guidance and direction by the judiciary that accurately reflects the feeling of the nation".

"The respect and confidence of the people are essential ingredients if there is to be any hope of prevailing against the ever increasing plague of violent crime", said McVicar, and he blames the many vested interest groups whose livelihood would be adversely affected if there was a reduction in crime.

McVicar argues that this "legal system" is now a booming industry with so many leeches and scavengers sucking off it that it resembles pigs feeding at a trough, and as the decay gets momentum many senior experienced police are leaving the force as a direct result.

"As our legal system makes a mockery of justice it is more often than not left to the police to explain and justify to wounded and emotionally devastated victims why the Courts have treated them with utter contempt. The result – the police are seen as the villains and leave the force".

McVicar said that New Zealand is now paying a horrific and unacceptable price for the politically correct (PC) culture that has manifested itself and become entrenched throughout the legal system.

"The gang problems, the drug problems and the general lawlessness in our society are the consequences and are directly attributable to the demise of our justice system. Slums and ghettos with young hoods running riot with weapons and intimidating law abiding citizens were things that happened in other countries, but they are now a reality of life in many parts of New Zealand".

"It would be a very stupid or naive person who said "crime doesn’t pay"; it does – in fact it pays very well under a seriously flawed legal system that provides no deterrent to committing crime, and in fact offers a bulk discount for multiple offences".

Regards,

Garth McVicar
National Spokesperson,
Sensible Sentencing Trust.