Thread: Law & Order is STUFFED.

Originally Posted by bob10

I agree, thankfully I've never had to experience either situation. Hopefully never will. Blood is thicker than water, so people are always going to be polarised with the issue. The best I can think of is you do the crime, you do the time. But how long is long enough? We have no choice but to leave it up to the law.

Using my own experience here as my guide.
When my father was found guilty of murder (29 years ago) my thoughts were he and anyone guilty of same should be sent to death or life without any chance of parole. Thats how i felt. And still do quite frankly.
However thats not how the law is or was then. So despite my own personal feelings on the issue i have what i have. Now over the many years of being by my dads side i have seen change. A lot over the time actually.
A life time ago this happened. My old man spends his life in prison helping other prisoners and has for many moons. A model prisoner by all accounts. I now can see the possibility of me actually having a beer with my old man.
That excites me. So i do want him to get parole one day despite what i said earlier. Contradiction yes i guess. He is an old man now and not likely to be a big threat to society however yea im not naive. There are family of the victims that may feel the exact opposite to me.

To much information? Yea but why not, its an interesting topic i guess.

Originally Posted by DAMINK

Using my own experience here as my guide.
When my father was found guilty of murder (29 years ago) my thoughts were he and anyone guilty of same should be sent to death or life without any chance of parole. Thats how i felt. And still do quite frankly.
However thats not how the law is or was then. So despite my own personal feelings on the issue i have what i have. Now over the many years of being by my dads side i have seen change. A lot over the time actually.
A life time ago this happened. My old man spends his life in prison helping other prisoners and has for many moons. A model prisoner by all accounts. I now can see the possibility of me actually having a beer with my old man.
That excites me. So i do want him to get parole one day despite what i said earlier. Contradiction yes i guess. He is an old man now and not likely to be a big threat to society however yea im not naive. There are family of the victims that may feel the exact opposite to me.

To much information? Yea but why not, its an interesting topic i guess.

Thanks for sharing. I wanted to ask, but didn't know how. What a dilemma. Your Father is always your Father, no matter what he did. I'm thinking if the victims, or their families were involved in the parole process, in some way, if they got to see the prisoner [ any prisoner] , and if indeed that prisoner was rehabilitated, and not a threat, could that make the process more acceptable to them. I can see how setting some one on parole, without the victims families involved at all, would just open up old wounds.

Originally Posted by bob10

Thanks for sharing. I wanted to ask, but didn't know how. What a dilemma. Your Father is always your Father, no matter what he did. I'm thinking if the victims, or their families were involved in the parole process, in some way, if they got to see the prisoner [ any prisoner] , and if indeed that prisoner was rehabilitated, and not a threat, could that make the process more acceptable to them. I can see how setting some one on parole, without the victims families involved at all, would just open up old wounds.

I personally think the victims family must be involved in some way, offered to opportunity to be there during the process if not a written letter. Either way it will open old wounds no question. But an important process i think.
Obviously 99% of the time anything the victims say is going to be negative so the board needs to weigh all this up. Behavior during time in jail, Genuinely showing remorse, Severity of crime, Likelihood of re-offending and impact on families of the crime (both sides).

Originally Posted by DAMINK

The judicial system needs to address that. If society wants no parole then so be it. Governments makes laws and the judicial system adheres to it. Thats not my argument here.
Mine is to try change laws retrospectively. I dont think thats the correct thing to do.

In your own words about your father being due for parole you wrote "[...]Well not "due" but eligible for parole."

Is there even any need for retrospective change to any specific judgements? What I mean is that when someone is sentenced to 20yrs with parole a possibility - it is not usually worded in terms of a non-parole period? i.e. must serve at least x yrs.

And when eligible for parole - its not necessarily an automatic gate pass is it. The case is looked in, the prisoner's behaviour while in prison, and I am sure at least in some small degree - societal tolerance and opinion is a factor in whether parole is granted or denied.

And hasn't it always been that way?

Originally Posted by tact

In your own words about your father being due for parole you wrote "[...]Well not "due" but eligible for parole."

Is there even any need for retrospective change to any specific judgements? What I mean is that when someone is sentenced to 20yrs with parole a possibility - it is not usually worded in terms of a non-parole period? i.e. must serve at least x yrs.

And when eligible for parole - its not necessarily an automatic gate pass is it. The case is looked in, the prisoner's behaviour while in prison, and I am sure at least in some small degree - societal tolerance and opinion is a factor in whether parole is granted or denied.

And hasn't it always been that way?

I have a limited knowledge of the law but they do infact give non parole period during sentencing. Atleast thats my memory.

Originally Posted by DAMINK

Using my own experience here as my guide.
When my father was found guilty of murder (29 years ago) my thoughts were he and anyone guilty of same should be sent to death or life without any chance of parole. Thats how i felt. And still do quite frankly.
However thats not how the law is or was then. So despite my own personal feelings on the issue i have what i have. Now over the many years of being by my dads side i have seen change. A lot over the time actually.
A life time ago this happened. My old man spends his life in prison helping other prisoners and has for many moons. A model prisoner by all accounts. I now can see the possibility of me actually having a beer with my old man.
That excites me. So i do want him to get parole one day despite what i said earlier. Contradiction yes i guess. He is an old man now and not likely to be a big threat to society however yea im not naive. There are family of the victims that may feel the exact opposite to me.

To much information? Yea but why not, its an interesting topic i guess.

Damink, AMAZING honesty by you, AMAZING, you must have gone through hell.
However, I won't make any comment, because I don't know what happened, but I wish peace to you & your family, & similarly to the families, friends etc on the "other side".
You have certainly given me something to think about. Pickles.

Originally Posted by DAMINK

When my father was found guilty of murder (29 years ago) my thoughts were he and anyone guilty of same should be sent to death or life without any chance of parole. Thats how i felt. And still do quite frankly.
.

Not commenting on your situation mate...but murder in general. I know we all have vastly differing opinions and I have said my bit earlier in this thread. The biggest thing that I can't compute, is that we have some who argue for a murderer to get the right to a second chance, that they are a changed person, remorseful etc.

For me it is incomprehensible, when the person who was murdered, gets no more chances. It is final for them.

Originally Posted by Gordie

Not commenting on your situation mate...but murder in general. I know we all have vastly differing opinions and I have said my bit earlier in this thread. The biggest thing that I can't compute, is that we have some who argue for a murderer to get the right to a second chance, that they are a changed person, remorseful etc.

For me it is incomprehensible, when the person who was murdered, gets no more chances. It is final for them.

No 2 murders are the same. Each situation needs to be addressed on its own merits.
Ultimately the people we put in charge appoint the judges that adjudicate the laws. They make the decisions.
If a judge in 1950 says your to serve life with a non parole period of 68 years, well you have served your time as far as im concerned, unless you breach your parole ofcourse.
Not that i agree or disagree with the parole system rather i believe in the law, at least in principal. A man much more appropriate to make said decisions did so, so we should respect that.