All
those interested will have by now made up their minds whether or not our newly enthroned prime minister was showing “leadership” or being unwise in speaking out in support of
“tough” sentencing. My own opinions on his and David Cameron`s similar comments and particularly of the Sentencing Council`s tick
box structure have been mentioned here on more than one occasion. Cameron when PM revealed, perhaps without too much forethought, his thinking processes on
the Sentencing Council. He is quoted in The Telegraph at the time as saying,
“My
mum was a magistrate for 30-odd years and you don’t go on being a magistrate
just reading the handbook and working out exactly what sentence is handed
down. You respond to local circumstances, to the sense of right and wrong in
that community.”
And
that is precisely where the dispute in current sentencing now lies. For some
years we have been told to do exactly that which is on the tin or top cover if
preferred; read the handbook [guideline] and work out exactly the sentence. The
tick box analogy is perfect. Now Johnson wants us to respond to local
circumstances when he is well aware that his government is bent in removing “local” from such services as far as justice is concerned.
Politicians
are like ladybirds; they never change their spots, some of them have a nasty
bite and they fly off and leave the scene when disturbed.
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