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Social Vandalism a Government Legacy, Says Trust.

New Zealand is now reaping the harvest of 40 years of social vandalism and liberal, soft on crime policies followed by lenient sentences that are horrifying the average Kiwi, says The Sensible Sentencing Trust.

"Every day there is another murder, rape or violent assault, followed by a pathetic sentence which the criminals (many with a long list of previous offences) get handed along with a pat on the back and generous promise of early parole. A sad face and so-called remorse makes the sentence even shorter," says Trust spokesman, Garth McVicar.

According to the Trust, this criminal-centred justice system is the outcome of the prolonged and so far unfinished liberal experiment, with entirely predictable results.

Legislation such as legal aid, parole and the banning of corporal punishment in the 1970s and 80s followed by the implementation of policies that further absolved the offender from responsibility for their crimes was a recipe for disaster.

Last week's sentencing of the 15 year old who threw a block of concrete off a motorway over-bridge killing Chris Curry was a classic example of why violent crime is spiraling out of control.

Mr. McVicar says the four year sentence with the right to apply for home detention was an insult to Mr. Curry's family and a clear invite for an up-surge of copy-cat crimes by apprentice thugs.

"Young people want and need boundaries, but as this social experiment has evolved the boundaries have been removed and potentially fine young people drift aimlessly with no-vision and no hope.

"As long as politicians continue to limp after a problem they themselves have created the outcome for New Zealand will continue to be very bleak.

"We can build more prisons and put more criminals on home detention, but ultimately crime will continue to increase until we get back to basics - good family values, good education and policies that hold offenders accountable for their actions."

ENDS

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