Thread: Discharge Without Conviction

I wonder how many of you guys have been inside a court during a criminal trial - as a spectator, or even as a defendant ?

Several, not as defendant. Have been jury x 1 and prosecution witness x 2.
[QUOTE][/And yet so little understanding of how the justice system actually works... QUOTE]
Or doesn't.

Would you have the same hard-line views if it was your son or brother?

Yes.

who acted in a rash way and made some stupid mistakes

Driving away, arming oneself, and shooting someone is a silly mistake now? Stabbing someone would be considered an 'oopsie' then? Where does rape lie? Is that just silliness and hijinks?

Sentencing guidelines reflect a county's societal values. What this thread very clearly demonstrates is that the forum contains a lot of people who are pretty far out of step with current-day NZ.

You'll find that it's the judges and beltway types that are out of touch, I would say MOST NZers on the same wavelength as this thread. It's not their kids getting smashed on the way home from school by ferals, held to ransom by fuckwit neighbours on day 3 of a neverending party, having their only vehicle nicked from outside the train station, stock stolen at night etc etc. Judges live in well-to-do leafy suburbs and don't catch public transport, kids at the private school.. They don't have to deal with the type of people in the dock, outside the court.