National will legislate for less sentencing discounts

National has announced:

In just five years, violent crime has increased by 33 per cent, gangs are growing faster than police, and retail crime has doubled. One contributor to this spike in criminal activity is the weak consequences faced by offenders.

That is the rate of violent crime up 33%. The gross number of violent offences has increased 42% since 2017 to 2022. And 2023 is looking to be even worse, with violent offending to date up 9% on last year.

National will introduce stronger sentences for convicted criminals, by limiting the ability of judges to reduce sentences, making gang membership an aggravating factor, restoring Three Strikes and ending taxpayer funding for cultural reports.

The big change here is to pass a law limiting the ability of Judges to discount a sentence to a maximum of 40%.

A “use-it-and-lose-it” rule that prevents repeat offenders from receiving sentence discounts for youth or remorse more than once.

Also a good idea. You only get to play the remorse card once!

A 60 per cent sentence reduction was given to a 19-year-old male on appeal that reduced a prison sentence to three years and five months, from a starting point of eight years and six months imprisonment. The offender, carrying a knife, and accompanied by two other males (one wearing Mongrel Mob regalia), kicked down the front door of a pregnant woman alone at home and assaulted her. He then went on to attack another victim, holding a knife to their throat, and kidnapped them. He was guilty of aggravated burglary, indecent assault, demanding with intent to steal, aggravated robbery, kidnapping, injuring with intent to injure and possession of an offensive weapon.

Personally I think a 40% maximum is still very generous.

Some Judges have effectively declared war on Parliament using judicial activism to nullify the former Three Strikes law. If Judges abuse the discretion they have under the law, they should not be surprised when they end up with less discretion.