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Our Homepage Submissions Police Act Review Disclosure to Court of Defendants’ previous convictions Criminal Proceeds Recovery Bill Youth Justice 2007 Criminal Justice Reform Bill Inquiry into Victim Rights Young Offenders (Serious Crimes) Bill Prisoners and Victims Claims Bill Victim's Request List DNA Bill Victims Rights Bill Sentencing and Parole Bill

• Premeditated or Aggravated Murder: "Life means Life"
  Urgent legislation to ensure that premeditated murder receives a "life without parole" Sentence, by substituting the 17-year starting point under section 104 of the Sentencing Act 2000 with a mandatory whole of life sentence for this offence.
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• Legal Aid- Introduction of a sliding scale.
  Legal Aid may have been introduced for good reasons, but it is now simply a taxpayer-funded subsidy. Lawyers prolong proceedings, appeal without merit, and discourage their clients from being held accountable and accepting responsibility for their actions, thus encouraging the spiral to continue.
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• Parole for all violent offenders to be abolished.
  Due to the horrific offences being committed by criminals while on parole we ask for urgency for the following. Parole for all violent offenders to be abolished, victims family representation on respective Parole Boards as of right, prison authority representatives to be on all parole boards and accurate records of offending by parolees be kept and publicly available.
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• DNA - all offenders to give DNA sample.
  We request the Government introduce legislation that requires all people convicted of an offence be required to give a DNA sample. Urgency must be given to compiling an electronic database to identify and deter repeat offenders.
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• NZ Homicide Support Network
  In consultation with families involved in Homicide and also Senior Police in charge of these enquires it has been established that a specialised " Homicide Support Network" should be established to assist families in need.
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• Cumulative Sentences for all Violent Offences
  With the existing concurrent sentencing offenders are effectively receiving a " Bulk discount" for multiple offences thus encouraging repeat offending. No accountability.
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• Mental Health -The safety of the community to be of paramount consideraton.
  We request the government legislate to change the duties and responsibilities of those caring for the mentally ill who have offended violently, so they owe a duty to the community as well as a duty to the patient. People who should be in a facility receiving medical attention for their illness are committing many of the horrific crimes being executed today.
  (No additional notes)
• Youth Offending- Age of Criminal responsibility to be removed.
  The minimum age for criminal prosecution should be removed. The existing law means young offenders are literally getting away with rape, the politically correct family group conference is totally ineffective as a deterrent, this is confirmed by our youth re-offending rates. Youth offenders should be processed through the normal court system with the Judges having the power to hold parents and guardians jointly accountable.
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• Appeal Process
  Victims' family to have the right to be heard at all murder case appeals. If an appeal is found to be frivolous or without merit the Judge must be given the power to increase the criminals sentence and fine the defence lawyer for wasting the Courts time. New Zealand's appeal process is re-traumatising the victims' family and ridiculing the concept of Justice. With approximately 450 appeals before the Court of Appeal at present it is not rocket science to see that more than just the criminals are abusing the system.
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• Sex Offenders: Violent Offenders and Repeat Offenders
  Assurance of urgency for a publicly available Register for, all sex offenders, Violent Offenders and all repeat offenders.
  (No additional notes)
• Ministry for Victims: Victims Rights Act 2000
  The Victims' Rights Act has been a positive move, but it did not make the " rights" enforceable. We ask the government to show their sincerity by creating a Ministry for Victims. A Ministry for Victims would ensure that a balance of importance is given to the victims of crime.
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• Amendments to the Sentencing Act 2000
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Sensible Sentencing Trust will return to Parliament in April next year for a progress report on this submission delevered July 22nd 2003