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Archived Press Releases 2008 12th September 2008

POLICE PUT AT RISK BY "RECYCLING" POLICY

(12th September 2008)

Violent and dangerous offenders being recycled by lax criminal justice polices are exposing police to an unacceptable level of risk according to the Sensible Sentencing Trust.

Trust Spokesman Garth McVicar said that the police and public were being exposed to a huge risk because of an anti-prison and anti-punishment policy.

Mr McVicar said that he would not be at all surprised if the man accused of killing the undercover police officer yesterday has a previous history of violent offending.

"The odds are that this low-life who shot the officer yesterday will have been in and out of prison like a yoyo."

"Violent crime has increased by almost 50 percent in the last decade and approximately 78 percent of those who go to prison are released early and simply recycled."

"There was a staggering 6,000 more violent offences reported to police in the 2006 – 2007 year than the year before with about 30,000 of these criminals being recycled through the Court or Prison system every year."

Mr McVicar said the "Release- to-Reoffend" policy had cost many innocent lives and put thousands more at risk.

Regards,

Garth McVicar
National Spokesperson,
Sensible Sentencing Trust.