Media Statement
For immediate release
21 January 2010

Dunne: “Three Strikes” Law Misses the Point

UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne says the proposed “three strikes” law misses the point.

“There would be little disagreement anywhere in the community that serious violent offenders should be put away for long periods of time,” said Mr Dunne.

“The problem is, of course, that even though maximum sentences for violent offences have been substantially increased in recent years, most offenders do not receive anything like a maximum sentence, and even then are eligible for parole long before their actual sentence is completed anyway.”

“Moreover, evidence rules often prevent all the relevant facts – such as an offender’s previous record of violent offending – being put before a jury, thus resulting in some cases of convictions for offences carrying lesser sentences than might otherwise have been the case.”

“In such circumstances, the resulting public anger is perfectly understandable.”

Mr Dunne says the proposed “three strikes” law is therefore really a reaction to the justice system’s failing in these other regards.

“It would therefore surely be more prudent to address these more fundamental issues of sentences more accurately fitting the crime committed, and juries having access to all aspects of an offender’s previous relevant criminal behaviour, before embracing the attractive simplicity of the proposed “three strikes” law,” said Mr Dunne.

ENDS

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