BRITAIN: The British home secretary John Reid announced plans yesterday to toughen sentencing guidelines following mounting public anger at a judicial system perceived as being too soft on serious criminals.
His announcement follows several high-profile murder and sexual assault cases committed by offenders released early from prison.
Under the proposals announced to the House of Commons, dangerous prisoners would lose the right to qualify for parole halfway through their sentence. Offenders caught red-handed would also lose the right to have their sentences cut by a third if they plead guilty and tougher sentences would be given to violent offenders.
"The overriding and primary aim of this review is to ensure that the criminal justice system is geared at every stage to protecting the public and putting the interests of the law-abiding majority and the victim first," Mr Reid said.
"Too often it appears that the criminal justice system is on the side of the offender, protecting their interests and individual rights over those of the victims and the law-abiding majority. That has to change."
Sentencing guidelines and parole procedures were thrust under the spotlight last year after the murders of financier John Monckton and teenager Mary-Ann Leneghan by people released early from jail.