The Justice Committee is calling for submissions on the Three Strikes Legislation Repeal Bill. The bill seeks to repeal what is commonly known as the “three strikes law”, which mandates prison sentences for people convicted three times of serious violent offences.

The three strikes law was implemented through the Sentencing and Parole Reform Act 2010, which introduced a three-stage system to increase penalties for repeat offenders of qualifying serious violent offences, as listed by the Act. Through the three strikes law, someone convicted of a qualifying offence for a third time must have the maximum penalty without parole imposed on them, unless the court determines that this would be manifestly unjust.

Repealing the three strikes law would have the effect of allowing Judges to consider an offender’s individual circumstances and background, and to approach outcomes on a case-by-case basis. This bill is an omnibus bill that would amend multiple Acts including the Sentencing Act 2002 and the Parole Act 2002.

Tell the Justice Committee what you think

Make a submission on the bill by midnight on 7 January 2022.

For more details about the bill:

· Read the full content of the bill

· What’s been said in Parliament about the bill?

· Follow the committee’s Facebook page for updates
 

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