Thread: Hunter convicted

Originally Posted by sneeze

Yes. It is just the imbalance that seems wrong here, I don't have enough info to have an opinion on the other decisions.
My other comments/questions are around unintended consequences. I get the possible benefits of avoiding conviction for the accused but at what cost? What do you know of victims outcomes when they feel completely let down by the system?
Are you so sure the odd up and coming Rugby player wont look at George Moalla and be emboldened because he "got away with it" ?
Nothing is easy I know and everything comes at a price.

With regard to prisons I remember watching something a while ago. IIRC It was a three stage system. On entry it was tough, hard work,discipline and little comfort, stage two was more rebuilding and rehabilitation with a few perks and stage three being more home like and focused on work skills and building blocks for the future. It was a snakes and ladder setup so cock up and you go back to the previous stage.
I thought it had a lot going for it.

@sneeze, yes, actions and consequences.

I have done some volunteer work in the prison system here in NZ. The value of work is tremendous, not least teaching the inmates, the guys in the case of our prison, to work, to get up in the morning, to be able to take instructions and tellings off without going off in a huff etc etc. Some have never worked more than a day in their lives, never had working parents to teach an example. Alternative - endless boredom and watching TV in a cell.

I remain deeply disappointed by Mr John Key. One of his election promises for his second term of Government was that he would have all prisoners working. Some no doubt saw it as a "get hard on criminals" kind of statement, others saw it as a promising move to reduce re-offending.

Thoughtful point re victims' outcomes, but not sure if the state exerting revenge helps them. The revenge is never proportional for a start.
Victim compensation of victims is perhaps another matter, and if that was the practice then the victim would never be excluded from the sentencing process.