Saturday 19 February 2011

Yeah, About That Alternative To The Death Penalty We Were Promised…

Figures released after a Freedom of Information request show criminals handed life sentences by the courts have been released from prison.

The list includes people convicted of the most serious offences, including Murder and violent rape.
That’s thirty-four of them, just in Essex alone.
A spokesman for the Parole Board for England and Wales said the decision to release lifers, who had served their minimum term of imprisonment, was made by experts.
Oh, right. ‘Experts’.

Well, that’s OK then, I suppose…

8 comments:

PT said...

What is an expert? Depends on your perspective. If you're a politician or have some agenda or vested interest, then an expert is someone who can use impressive phrases to justify your bias. If you're a cynic, then "expert breaks down phonetically; an ex is a has-been, while a spurt is a drip under pressure.

Anonymous said...

A true expert is someone who through experience knows more about a subject than you do, by listening and learning you increase your own expertise.

In today's parlance an "expert" is someone who uses fake authority, (letters after name or the backing of a vested interest group, or a brainwashed fabian agenda) to fool the plebs and politicians into unquestioning compliance. Therefore instead of using real experts to better ourselves we allow "experts" to lead us by the nose into a living hell.

Quiet_Man said...

Wonder how many would be released early if the "experts" knew that if they committed a crime the expert would be up on a charge themselves?

Just a thought.

Captain Haddock said...

"Wonder how many would be released early if the "experts" knew that if they committed a crime the expert would be up on a charge themselves?

Just a thought" ...

That is a brilliant idea QM ..

If the so-called "experts" are so convinced that these people no longer represent a threat to society & would not re-offend .. then they couldn't possibly hesitate to put their names to a "parole" guaranteeing as much and standing surety for the released prisoner's continued good behaviour ..

It should be implemented at once ..

Except we both know it won't be .. and moreover .. we know why it won't be ..

Pavlov's Cat said...

oh, that'll be those 'experts' who never have to come into contact with these people ever again. [Except the next time they are up for parole]

I like the Quiet Mans idea.It's purely because of the fact (much like politians) that there is no come back on them, that they feel able to make these 'expert' decisions

Angry Exile said...

I quite like the Queit_Man's idea too. What could we charge them with? Some sort of professional negligence thing sounds promising. Alternatively we could have the parole system we have now but changed so that the person who clears someone for release also has to put them up in their own home for the first year or so.

Having said all that there are undoubtably murderers who are safe for release because they killed in unusual circumstances that are almost certain not to happen again. And being serious I wouldn't want to write someone off as being absolutely beyond redemption. A lot probably are and they should stay in there, but those who have genuinely reformed should have their chance. How would we know those who've genuinely reformed? Inspired by Catch 22 I'd suggest that those who feel such remorse that they demand to be kept locked away as punishment show evidence of being reformed, and since they know themselves best perhaps we should do as they ask. Meanwhile those that say they're reformed and can be let out certainly shouldn't be.

MTG said...

Those 'experts' whose comments reveal ignorance of the civil and criminal law....as it relates to manslaughter, criminal negligence, malfeasance, gross negligence and recklessness.....will naturally enthuse at the prospect of more legislation to hold experts (other than themselves) punitively accountable.

QM will delight in the knowledge that a number of experts are currently serving prison sentences as a result of criminal proceedings arising from their work.

At a civil level, experts are normally required to cover their work/actions/advice with adequate insurance. In turn, Insurance companies are usually keen to satisfy themselves they are not providing cover for an idiot.

The posters here may finally consider the fact that expert witnesses are also accountable to their professional bodies for substandard work.

I could add much more but the information would never satify the bigoted righteous who prefer to see criminals caged indefinitely.

JuliaM said...

"If you're a cynic, then "expert breaks down phonetically; an ex is a has-been, while a spurt is a drip under pressure."

Heh! Indeed. And as anon points out below, they are leading us down the path that leads nowhere good...

"Just a thought."

But a damn good one!

"QM will delight in the knowledge that a number of experts are currently serving prison sentences as a result of criminal proceedings arising from their work. "

Sadly, 'Professor' Roy Meadow and 'Doctor' David Southall aren't amongst them. Yet...

"The posters here may finally consider the fact that expert witnesses are also accountable to their professional bodies for substandard work."

Sadly, those professional bodies rarely impose appropriate sanctions.