JC: Looking at the Bigger Picture

The tragic event that took place in the Auckland CBD on Thursday morning was a stark reminder that new approaches are needed to stem the rise in serious crime in this country. Not just crime committed by adults, but also by school-age children. Obviously any new ideas cannot be a one size fits all approach: adults and children require different penalties and outcomes.

Before getting into what those penalties and outcomes might be, it’s worth taking a look at how we got to where we are now. Kerre Woodham made a good point on her ZB programme on Friday morning. She said she felt really sorry for the judges. My first reaction, and I suspect that of many listening, was to disagree. We so often blame the judges for giving perpetrators of crime light sentences.