Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Prisoner advocates welcome repeal of three strikes law

People Against Prisons Aotearoa

Prisoner advocates welcome repeal of “brutal, pointless” three strikes law

Prisoner advocacy organisation People Against Prisons Aotearoa (PAPA) is pleased to see the repeal of the “three strikes law”.

The “three strikes law” was passed in 2010 with the Sentencing and Parole Reform Act. The law dictates that serious repeat offenders “strike out” after their third offence, and must receive the maximum penalty without parole.

“This law is just one example of useless grandstanding by tough-on-crime governments,” says PAPA spokeswoman Emilie Rākete. “Tough on crime policies do not work as a deterrent, instead just funneling more people into prisons, which fail to rehabilitate them.”

“Repeat offending doesn’t happen because people are failing to learn their lesson,” says Rākete. “Reintegration into society is extremely difficult for ex-prisoners. They are discriminated against in housing, for jobs, and in every other area which is necessary for living a normal life. Forcing more people into precarity only deepens New Zealand’s crisis of incarceration.”

According to Rākete, New Zealand should welcome the repeal of the “three strikes law” as a step towards a less punitive criminal justice system, but more work must be done to reform our sentencing laws.

“The Bail Amendment Act 2013 has contributed almost a third of the growth of our prison population since it was passed. This law has caused thousands of people who have not been convicted of any crime to be held in prison, sometimes for months, or even years.”

“The Bail Amendment Act 2013 is part of why our prison population is so enormous. It must urgently be repealed as well.”

“If we recognise that rehabilitation occurs best outside of prisons, then we have to question the utility of using prisons at all. If we want to genuinely rehabilitate people and prevent social harm from occurring, the abolition of prisons is the only solution.”

ENDS

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.