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Archived Press Releases 2009 10th February 2009

BOY RACER FREEBIE ANGERS WATCHDOG

(10th February 2009)

The Sensible Sentencing Trust is incensed that boy racers are swapping fines for community work at conversion rates of up to $100.00 per hour.

Trust Spokesman Garth McVicar said it was morally and ethically wrong that boy racers were given a financial advantage over law-abiding hard-working youth.

One boy racer was able to do 180 hours community work in exchange for having approximately $18,000 in fines wiped.

"This sends all the wrong messages – not to just the boy racers but to the youth who struggle on minimum wages to make ends meet."

"Imagine being a parent teaching your children that there are no freebies in life, how do you explain that breaking the law has better hourly rates of return than working for a living?"

McVicar said he had no problems with community work for first time offenders, "But as soon as they give the fingers to the system or reoffend they should be treated like any other criminal."

"Some of these guys are prepared to confront police with weapons and they are not afraid to use them. Granting Bail or allowing community work sentences for recidivist offenders shows just how dysfunctional the legal process has become."

"It appears that what was a perfectly functional Justice System has disappeared into the same void as common-sense."

McVicar said the question that needed to be asked was, "Who are the real criminals, the offenders – or the lawmakers!"

Regards,

Garth McVicar
National Spokesperson,
Sensible Sentencing Trust.