Government ramps up law and order

Government ramps up law and order	4.08.2008
A $500,000 advertising blitz promoting "one-punch laws" has been announced as the Government axes automatic jail term discounts ahead of the state election. Premier Alan Carpenter yesterday announced the advertising blitz promoting tougher "one-punch laws``, which came into effect last week after a number of incidents in which victims have died after one deadly punch. While the automatic reduction of one third has applied to criminal sentences since the 1960s, historically it was usually ordered in prison, as remission for good conduct. Labor`s "truth in sentencing`` laws in 2003 gave judges discretion to apply the reduction in their sentencing remarks. But Mr Carpenter said the Government would repeal and replace the laws with a direction to the court on how sentencing is to be conducted in the future. "Judges will have the discretion to impose the maximum sentence on criminals who commit the worst crimes,`` he said. The advertising campaign, which the Government said was proposed by the families of victims of one-punch deaths, urges men who have been out drinking to think twice before they hit someone. "Three mates, two clubs, five knockbacks, one punch, up to 10 years in jail,`` the captions read. "One punch can kill.`` A man is rejected several times by women he propositions, before leaving the club, then bumping in to a man on the street. In the first version of the ad he raises his fist to fight but in the second version pulls his arm away. "One guy walks away, two lives saved,`` the caption reads. Attorney-General Jim McGinty admitted removing the one third automatic reduction for criminal sentences would put more pressure on prisons. "We expect the prison population will grow with serious offenders at the worst end of the scale, that`s where the pressure will come,`` he said. "And frankly they`re the people that jails exist for.`` But he denied the announcements were linked to the state election, due before May 2 next year, saying they were needed because of recent events. "This was an issue that needed to be resolved, we`re not looking at an election context,`` Mr McGinty said. "It was an issue which with the recent court of appeal decision we had to act on ... we`ve moved expeditiously.`` Share this article Digg this Post to del.icio.us Post to Newsvine Post to Facebook Add to kwoff
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	09. 2008

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