Should Criminals be released early on compassionate grounds

[matthew123]

Only recently Ronnie Biggs, Great Train Robber, was released early as it was believed he was close to dying - then shortly afterwards his freedom was reported to have given him a new lease of life. Whether or not it will be a full recovery we will have to wait and see but it reminded me of Ernest Saunders a member of the 'Guiness Four' who was released early as suffering from Alzheimer's disease. On release Saunders made a swift recovery from "Alzheimer's" and subsequently took on the roles of Chairman and Consultant for various international firms.

So, should this 'compassionate' back door to early release be kept open - or should we take the line that someone convicted of a serious crime (such as the 'terminally ill' Libyan convicted of the Lockerbie bombing) be kept behind bars with the same dispassion as the original crime(s) regardless of their state of health (real or manipulated)?

[Mick Mac]

Can doctors be bought or conned by wealthy people? eg Saunders.

If their release in on the basis that they are ill and they are only being released on these grounds then it should be subject to regular post release reviews to ensure the Ernest Saunders' of this world cannot buy/con their way out of justice.

[HAL9000]

Mick Mac Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Can doctors be bought or conned by wealthy people?

> eg Saunders.

Medico-legal opinions have long been a commodity. Court-approved experts have immunity in respect of their testimony: they can say virtually anything within the bounds of possibility in the certainty that their reputation will not be impugned even if their opinion is challenged.

Money can usually buy a favourable opinion if one shops around - something denied to those relying on a state funded defence, who have to disclose any opinions paid for by public funds - if they can get funding for even one opinion, in the first place.

(Caveat: that was the case when I was a campaigner against miscarriages of justice until a few years ago - things may have changed since then.)

> If their release in on the basis that they are ill

> and they are only being released on these grounds

> then it should be subject to regular post release

> reviews to ensure the Ernest Saunders' of this

> world cannot buy/con their way out of justice.

Given that this avenue is only open to the very rich, any attempt at reform is likely to fail.

It is often said: British Justice is the finest that money can buy - in my experience, that's true.

[angetastic]

.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Is that based on time spent or Mail articles read ange?

[angetastic]

.

[Narnia]

Some people think this man is actually innocent. That's a crime in itself if he really is.

[daizie]

I think, if they are still a threat they should not be released , however, i doubt very much Ronnie Biggs will be robbing any more trains .

[HAL9000]

angetastic Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> In most cases prison is neither a deterrant nor does

> it rehabilitate. More like a no frills holiday camp.

It is also a university of crime: a place where new techniques and technologies are shared and life long camaraderies established.

Professional criminal gangs won't recruit new members unless they are known to have done time thus hoping to avoid infiltrators and informers.

In response, undercover police and customs officers often 'serve' time in prisons befriending known gang members or gathering general intelligence. Some prison cells are wired for sound. Prison authorities maintain logs of prisoner relationships that are entered into the Holmes computer database.

In short, prisons have become an important element in the fight against crime.

[Nero]

Yes.

[panda boy]

Tricky one.

I think if someone has shown genuine remorse and rehabilitation for their crime then yes, but each case would need to be judged on it's merits, and not a general rule that allows criminals out when they're old and sick.

In Biggs case then yes. Despite his years on the run and cocking a snoot at the British legal system, he's now a frail old man with not long left in this world.

What would be proved by keeping him inside?

Alternatively i wouldn't agree that Charles Manson should ever be released, regardless of his health, based on his crimes and his lack of remorse for what he was responsible for.

I would think that prison would appear to be more acceptable for some people if they knew they'd be allowed out to die in peace with their family towards the end.

[Robyn0312]

For somebody to be released on compassionate medical grounds I believe that they should be of the state that they require permanent medical care and are therefore being released into medical care ie. a hospital or holistic hospice for the dying, rather than into the general community. If this is not the case then I do not think that they can be determined as sick enough to warrant this consideration.

[shoshntosh]

surely it depends on the criminal and the crime.

like what panda boy said.

one thing is for certain though: they really shouldn't ever get a hero's welcome.

[OutOfFocus]

Robyn0312 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> For somebody to be released on compassionate

> medical grounds I believe that they should be of

> the state that they require permanent medical care

> and are therefore being released into medical care

> ie. a hospital or holistic hospice for the dying,

> rather than into the general community.

I think I would agree with this. Release should be conditional rather than absolute - if they turn out not to be as sick as previously thought then they should return.

This is of course going to be harder to implement in the case of foreign prisoners such as the libyan jailed for the Lockerbee case.

[Jeremy]

It really depends on whether the government can broker any oil or weapons deals as a direct result of the release.

[macroban]

I've forgotten why that criminal Nelson Mandela was released from prison after receiving a life sentence.

[HAL9000]

A surprising number of presidents have served prison sentences - in some countries it seems to be a prerequisite for their heads of state.

[SteveT]

Jeremy wrote:-

It really depends on whether the government can broker any oil or weapons deals as a direct result of the release.

That cynical post made me laugh Jeremy, as if anything like that could happen here:))

Sticking two fingers up at our most powerful ally does not bode well either.

[iaineasy]

Should Criminals be released early on compassionate grounds?

yes they should where the cost of caring for them in prison outweighs the benefits to society of them being there or where the seriousness of the crime doesn't warrant them dying in prison. pretty straightforward I think.