I suppose I can claim a small amount of knowledge
of the criminal justice system, as I practice entirely in crime. The sentences were quite long, and that seems right.

Usually, I'd point out that they'd only do half of any custodial sentence, then be let out, maybe even less with early release schemes. But 16 years is a very long time, and policies change!

Prison is supposed to be reformative as well as punitive, which people sometimes struggle with. Especially in cases like this, it's easy to wonder why our tax pennies are being spent trying to turn these blokes into human beings fit to share our planet, when that's something the parents should have done from the moment they were born -- and quite clearly failed to do!


Killing family members might be a bit much, and I'm personally opposed to the death penalty, but a 20 year minimum would be nice. A mandatory 5 year minimum for gun possession or even knife possession would be nice too.


Right, I'm off to prepare for the trial of the decade now -- theft of a nintendo DS. The glamour of the law, huh?
(Exiled Youth [witty comment], Tue 29 Apr 2008, 6:31, Reply)