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Sussex judges are the toughest around
Prison sentences handed out in Sussex are the toughest in the country, it has been revealed.
A study by the Ministry of Justice shows how crooks are effectively on the receiving end of a "postcode lottery" when appearing in county's courts.
The study, which examined the vast regional differences in punishments handed out by judges and magistrates, shows prison sentences handed out in the county during 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 were the longest in the country, matched only in London.
The average length jail term passed out in Britain is 13 months but that rockets to 16 months in Sussex, the study showed.
The situation has been criticised by the Prison Reform Trust, which believes "certain local cultures" have developed and thrived within Sussex courts, leading to longer sentences becoming the norm.
Its deputy director, Geoff Dobson, said: "There are certain local court cultures which have sprung up that seem to have allowed this to happen.
"Effectively we now have a postcode lottery system of justice where in one area you will receive a longer sentence than you would if you appeared in a court in another area.
"We're concerned that it's happening and we're also concerned that in the last decade there has been an over-reliance on custodial sentences.
"We believe there should be greater use of community based punishment."
Mr Dobson said evidence pointed to both individual judges courts' relationships with organisations such as parole boards and probation services being to blame for the longer sentences in Sussex.
The ministry's study concluded the variations in sentences could not be explained by higher crime rates or the number of offenders being sentenced by courts.
The study, which examined sentences over the last ten years, said: "Variations in sentencing may be the result of local justice or the human factor' - defined as the need to establish and maintain consistent policy in individual courts, which may have taken priority over maintaining consistency at a national level."
The study has also led to calls for greater consistency of sentencing throughout the country, with the possibility of a new Government sanctioned authority to oversee it.
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Justice said: "The Government has established a working group to examine the advantages, disadvantages and feasibility of a Sentencing Commission with a broader remit, to replace the Sentencing Guidelines Council."
Peter Mosely, a data analyst at the Sentencing Guidelines Council, added: "There is some evidence that consistency is improving, but really only at the margins. In the report, which is as thorough an investigation as we are likely to get, it does find an element of local variation."
Is justice too tough in Sussex - or are we showing the way? Join the debate below.
1:25pm Friday 28th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Dave, At home on 8:00pm Fri 28 Mar 08
Not tough enough I say and certainly not leading the way.. they need to be made PAY for their crimes not enjoy a spell inside and get degrees.. maybe the judges should be on the receiving end of these scumbags and then we might see some real justice being dished out.
Down rover....
Not tough enough I say and certainly not leading the way.. they need to be made PAY for their crimes not enjoy a spell inside and get degrees.. maybe the judges should be on the receiving end of these scumbags and then we might see some real justice being dished out.
Down rover....
Posted by: modelo1a, Brighton on 2:55pm Mon 31 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Dave[/bold] wrote:
Not tough enough I say and certainly not leading the way.. they need to be made PAY for their crimes not enjoy a spell inside and get degrees.. maybe the judges should be on the receiving end of these scumbags and then we might see some real justice being dished out. Down rover....[/quote] What a load of blloocks!!! 'Toughest around'...when was that? All those crimes where stupid little chavs have committed, and got a rap on the knuckles, or pssiy little fines. Absolute shtie!!!
Dave wrote:
Not tough enough I say and certainly not leading the way.. they need to be made PAY for their crimes not enjoy a spell inside and get degrees.. maybe the judges should be on the receiving end of these scumbags and then we might see some real justice being dished out. Down rover....
What a load of blloocks!!! 'Toughest around'...when was that? All those crimes where stupid little chavs have committed, and got a rap on the knuckles, or pssiy little fines. Absolute shtie!!!
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