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The government's Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill, better known as the Three Strikes Bill, has been passed by parliament.
The Bill denies parole to repeat serious violent offenders and to offenders who are guilty of committing the worst murders. It also imposes maximum terms of imprisonment on persistent repeat offenders who continue to commit serious violent offences.
Police Minister Judith Collins says the Bill upholds one of the government's election pledges and incorporates significant aspects of Act's Three Strikes policy.
"With this Bill the government is sending a strong message that we are serious when we say that parole is a privilege, not a right. Parole is a privilege that will not be available to those who fail to take heed of warnings and continue to commit serious violent crimes," she says.
"This Bill ensures that the rights of victims and their families are put before the rights of those offenders who choose to continue to offend."
The new regime will apply to 40 serious violent offences which are punishable by a maximum of seven years' imprisonment or more. It will apply to people over 18 and will not be retrospective.
Safeguards have been put in place to ensure that the appropriate charges are laid, particularly at the third stage of the regime.
At stage three, police will refer all charges that qualify for the mandatory maximum penalty to the Crown Solicitor for review either pre-charge or by second appearance.
In addition, all cases involving offenders on a final warning, who are subsequently charged with committing a serious violent offence, will have their cases heard in the High Court. Only the High Court, the Court of Appeal or Supreme Court will be able to sentence an offender for a stage 3 offence.
Labour and the Greens have opposed the law since it was proposed by the ACT Party and then included in a government bill.
The Maori Party joined them in voting against it, with MP Hone Harawira saying he was worried that more offences would be added to the list of 40 in the bill.
"It won't be long before trespass and other similar charges will be added to the list by politicians too dumb, too lazy and too mean spirited to resolve issues intelligently and choose the big stick as the resort of first choice," he said.
"And, to no one's surprise, it will be Maori who suffer most when that happens."
Harawira said there was systemic bias "and outright bloody racism" against Maori in respect of arrests, charges, convictions and jail sentences.
Labour's Grant Robertson said his party was deeply concerned about rising crime rates but the bill did not address the causes of those crimes.
"It does not seek properly to address reoffending," he said.
"It is unworkable, unjust and inequitable and if we continue to park ambulances at the bottom of the cliff of crime we will not address the causes of crime and we will not reduce its impact on society."
ACT MP David Garrett said it would make New Zealand a safer place.
"We have sent a message to repeat violent offenders," he said.
"They have a choice - they can change their ways or they condemn themselves, by their own choice, to spend most of their lives in jail."
Garrett said that since the election four people had been killed
by people who would have been "three strikers" if the bill had been
in force at the time they committed those killings.
What do you think of the Three Strikes policy? Share your thoughts on the messageboard below.
Add a Comment:
Post new commentNoddy samurai said on 2010-05-27 @ 17:31 NZDT: Report abusive post
I agree It is not 'knocking Maori' but 'knocking crime'. There is an obvious difference.
Noddy samurai said on 2010-05-27 @ 12:47 NZDT: Report abusive post
Bring back the death penalty? Or bring in the row-tong smacking stick ! wake up Government
tim0 said on 2010-05-26 @ 11:03 NZDT: Report abusive post
why is this a race issue? if a crime is commited does it matter what race the person is? if it keeps the worst of the worst off our streets how can it not be a good thing?
haumarire said on 2010-05-26 @ 08:17 NZDT: Report abusive post
Amongst all of the comments so far no one has been able to say exactly how this new law will result in redress for victims. It's often said that people are not born evil so what is it that causes people to grow up to offend because when we really think about it for each person that we put in prison they are but a indicator of the type of society that we have. Surely the question is why New Zealand already has so many people in prison and why our only response is to put more people in prison.
skedz said on 2010-05-25 @ 21:35 NZDT: Report abusive post
This is a great move by the government. Its about time the safety of NZers was made the priority instead of pandering to the needs - or more to the point wants - of the criminals. Lets remember these are people who have not learnt from their past mistakes and probably never will. Yes keep them in jail so my children are safer.