Sensible Sentencing Trust
Encyclopedia
The Sensible Sentencing Trust, a lobby group based in Napier
in New Zealand
, promotes harsher court sentences as a means of reducing crime
.
The Trust states its vision as "A Safe New Zealand" and its mission as "(t)o obtain a large base of community support, and ensure safety for all New Zealanders from violent and criminal offending, through education, development of effective penal policies, and the promotion of responsible behaviour, accountable parenting, and respect for each other at all levels of society."
The Trust's national spokesperson, Garth McVicar, ranked at 32 in the 2006 New Zealand Listener Power List
, a list of 50 influential New Zealand people.
.
In 2009 the Trust supported the controversial appointment of former Work and Income Chief Executive Christine Rankin as a Families Commissioner
.
The Trust supported one of its representatives, David Garrett
, as number 5 on the ACT Party list
in the New Zealand general election in 2008
: he entered parliament on the list vote. Garrett has had a mixed performance as an MP, making a number of controversial comments.. Garrett was found to have disclosed two previous misdemeanors; the first involved the stealing of a deceased childs identity in 1984 to obtain a false passport; he later had an assault conviction in Tonga
which resulted in a fine. The passport case was discovered in 2005 and Garrett was discharged without conviction given the time between the offense and the trial; however, Garrett's legal practicing certificate may be revoked as he failed to disclose the assault conviction in a sworn affidavit.
A group called the "Really Sensible Sentencing Trust" formed in response to what it saw as the overly harsh law-and-order stance of the Sensible Sentencing Trust. Labour list MP Russell Fairbrother
announced the formation of the new group, but did not at the time reveal the names of its members.
An editorial of the New Zealand Herald in November 2009 noted that the trust had been created at least in part to defend Mark Middleton - prosecuted for threatening to kill Paul Dally, who tortured, raped, and killed Middleton's 13 year old stepdaughter Karla Cardno. The editorial noted, "It is better that politicians draft the law coolly, and that judges administer that law consistently, than that they join a noose-waving lynch mob led by Garth McVicar."
More recently, a rehabilitation
-oriented lobby group, Rethinking Crime and Punishment, has been established to represent a more nuanced and less populist or conservative approach to criminal justice policy in New Zealand, including analyses of the social context and causes of criminal activity
Napier, New Zealand
Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, promotes harsher court sentences as a means of reducing crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
.
The Trust states its vision as "A Safe New Zealand" and its mission as "(t)o obtain a large base of community support, and ensure safety for all New Zealanders from violent and criminal offending, through education, development of effective penal policies, and the promotion of responsible behaviour, accountable parenting, and respect for each other at all levels of society."
The Trust's national spokesperson, Garth McVicar, ranked at 32 in the 2006 New Zealand Listener Power List
New Zealand Listener Power List
The New Zealand Listener Power List is a list of the most powerful people in New Zealand, compiled annually by the New Zealand Listener from 2004 to 2009. From 2004 to 2007, the list covered the 50 most powerful people without separating them by field...
, a list of 50 influential New Zealand people.
Policies and positions
The Sensible Sentencing Trust supports boot camps as proposed in policy of the National PartyNew Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
.
In 2009 the Trust supported the controversial appointment of former Work and Income Chief Executive Christine Rankin as a Families Commissioner
Families Commission (New Zealand)
The Families Commission is a New Zealand crown entity, established by the Families Commission Act 2003, whose responsibilities include increasing public awareness and promoting better understanding of matters relating to the interests of families, shaping government policies that promote or serve...
.
The Trust supported one of its representatives, David Garrett
David Garrett (politician)
David Garrett is a former member of the New Zealand House of Representatives. He entered parliament at the 2008 general election as a list MP for ACT New Zealand, having been ranked fifth on that party's list. He was ACT's spokesman on law and order until he resigned from the party on 17 September...
, as number 5 on the ACT Party list
Party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation systems are a family of voting systems emphasizing proportional representation in elections in which multiple candidates are elected...
in the New Zealand general election in 2008
New Zealand general election, 2008
The 2008 New Zealand general election was held on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand parliament. The conservative National Party, headed by its Parliamentary leader John Key, won a plurality of votes and seats, ending 9 years of government dominated by the social...
: he entered parliament on the list vote. Garrett has had a mixed performance as an MP, making a number of controversial comments.. Garrett was found to have disclosed two previous misdemeanors; the first involved the stealing of a deceased childs identity in 1984 to obtain a false passport; he later had an assault conviction in Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
which resulted in a fine. The passport case was discovered in 2005 and Garrett was discharged without conviction given the time between the offense and the trial; however, Garrett's legal practicing certificate may be revoked as he failed to disclose the assault conviction in a sworn affidavit.
Criticism
The trust's call for harsher sentences has been criticised, especially seeing New Zealand's already high incarceration rates, which quadrupled between 1986 and 2005, despite research showing that criminals are more likely to re-offend after longer sentences.A group called the "Really Sensible Sentencing Trust" formed in response to what it saw as the overly harsh law-and-order stance of the Sensible Sentencing Trust. Labour list MP Russell Fairbrother
Russell Fairbrother
Russell Fairbrother is a lawyer and former New Zealand politician. He was a Labour Party Member of Parliament from 2002 to 2008.-Early years:Fairbrother was born into a truck driving family and raised in the Wairarapa town of Carterton....
announced the formation of the new group, but did not at the time reveal the names of its members.
An editorial of the New Zealand Herald in November 2009 noted that the trust had been created at least in part to defend Mark Middleton - prosecuted for threatening to kill Paul Dally, who tortured, raped, and killed Middleton's 13 year old stepdaughter Karla Cardno. The editorial noted, "It is better that politicians draft the law coolly, and that judges administer that law consistently, than that they join a noose-waving lynch mob led by Garth McVicar."
More recently, a rehabilitation
Rehabilitation (penology)
Rehabilitation means; To restore to useful life, as through therapy and education or To restore to good condition, operation, or capacity....
-oriented lobby group, Rethinking Crime and Punishment, has been established to represent a more nuanced and less populist or conservative approach to criminal justice policy in New Zealand, including analyses of the social context and causes of criminal activity
See also
- Crime in New ZealandCrime in New ZealandCrime in New Zealand is of strong interest to the public due to concerns for personal safety and security of property. The media regularly reports only certain types of crimes and this may give a skewed perception to the public.-History:...
- Sentence (law)Sentence (law)In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...
- Penal reform
- Howard League for Penal Reform CanterburyHoward League for Penal Reform CanterburyThe Howard League for Penal Reform Canterbury is an organisation based in Christchurch, New Zealand that lobbies for prison reform. It is based on the British Howard League for Penal Reform....
, an organisation that works on reform of the penal systemPrisonA prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...