Too many drivers going to jail
Discussion
www.itv.com/news/858991.html
'Too many drivers going to jail'
5.32PM, 18 Jan 2004
The head of the Prison Service has said that too many motorists are being jailed for driving offences.
Martin Narey said the prison system was in danger of being "overrun" by motoring offenders and other petty criminals as the courts imposed increasing numbers of jail sentences.
He says the result has led to a fourfold increase in the number of convicted drivers being put behind bars over the past decade.
Mr Narey believes many offenders who are now serving sentences could have had their cases better dealt with by way of community penalties.
He says: "The Prison Service is being overrun with very many short-term prisoners - lots of people who are in prison now who would not have been in prison ten years ago.
"Custody rates for some quite petty offending have quadrupled, motoring offences for example. They don't need to be in jail in such numbers."
His comments have been seized on by campaigners who claimed that motorists were being jailed because they were seen as an "easy target".
A spokesman for the Association of British Drivers said: "Prison is intended as a method by which we remove dangerous people from society - murderers, rapists, people who damage others.
"It is an improper use of the tool to send people to jail for a minor motoring offence.
"When you have a situation like this, respect for the law starts to break down. The law itself needs to be re-examined."
He went on to say that while prosecutions for serious motoring offences had dropped over the last decade, the number of speeding offences had soared.
The Automobile Association was more guarded, saying that most motorists who were sent to prison had committed serious offences such as driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and causing death by dangerous driving.
Andrew Howard, the AA's head of road safety, said there was growing public support for jailing such offenders: "What else can you do with someone who has ignored a court order or has killed someone on the road?".
He quoted an AA poll which last year showed that around two-thirds of Britons thought the courts were too soft on dangerous drivers.
Mr Narey - who is set to become head of the merged prison and probation services - said that he wanted to work with the courts to reduce the numbers of motorists receiving prison terms.
His comments came at a time when the Government was already under fire over the level fines for motoring offences.
Critics have claimed that speed cameras are being used to raise revenue for the Treasury rather than improve safety at accident blackspots.
'Too many drivers going to jail'
5.32PM, 18 Jan 2004
The head of the Prison Service has said that too many motorists are being jailed for driving offences.
Martin Narey said the prison system was in danger of being "overrun" by motoring offenders and other petty criminals as the courts imposed increasing numbers of jail sentences.
He says the result has led to a fourfold increase in the number of convicted drivers being put behind bars over the past decade.
Mr Narey believes many offenders who are now serving sentences could have had their cases better dealt with by way of community penalties.
He says: "The Prison Service is being overrun with very many short-term prisoners - lots of people who are in prison now who would not have been in prison ten years ago.
"Custody rates for some quite petty offending have quadrupled, motoring offences for example. They don't need to be in jail in such numbers."
His comments have been seized on by campaigners who claimed that motorists were being jailed because they were seen as an "easy target".
A spokesman for the Association of British Drivers said: "Prison is intended as a method by which we remove dangerous people from society - murderers, rapists, people who damage others.
"It is an improper use of the tool to send people to jail for a minor motoring offence.
"When you have a situation like this, respect for the law starts to break down. The law itself needs to be re-examined."
He went on to say that while prosecutions for serious motoring offences had dropped over the last decade, the number of speeding offences had soared.
The Automobile Association was more guarded, saying that most motorists who were sent to prison had committed serious offences such as driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and causing death by dangerous driving.
Andrew Howard, the AA's head of road safety, said there was growing public support for jailing such offenders: "What else can you do with someone who has ignored a court order or has killed someone on the road?".
He quoted an AA poll which last year showed that around two-thirds of Britons thought the courts were too soft on dangerous drivers.
Mr Narey - who is set to become head of the merged prison and probation services - said that he wanted to work with the courts to reduce the numbers of motorists receiving prison terms.
His comments came at a time when the Government was already under fire over the level fines for motoring offences.
Critics have claimed that speed cameras are being used to raise revenue for the Treasury rather than improve safety at accident blackspots.
Funny isnt it that a Prison officer makes a pragmatic and sensible suggestion then a spokesman for a motoring organisation comes and ruins the concept with spoon fed spinning bilge. When exactly are the AA changing their corporate colour to Red and adpoting the Rose as their symbol?
If you can find me one person who has benefited from jailing someone doing 150mph at 3am on a clear dry motorway then I will eat my car...
If you can find me one person who has benefited from jailing someone doing 150mph at 3am on a clear dry motorway then I will eat my car...
They may have a point though.
Without any stats for what offences have been committed it's difficult to judge.
It may be that the general lack of respect for motoring law these days means that we have record numbers of people driving without insurance or driving whilst disqualified. I get the impression that many of these people repeatedly offend as they don't feel the pain of whatever non-custodial punishments are dished out.
Without any stats for what offences have been committed it's difficult to judge.
It may be that the general lack of respect for motoring law these days means that we have record numbers of people driving without insurance or driving whilst disqualified. I get the impression that many of these people repeatedly offend as they don't feel the pain of whatever non-custodial punishments are dished out.
No-where does it say what driving offences are being commited here. Why do we all pressume its speeding?
I support the idea of some scrote being caught without insurance / no license / death by dangerous driving etc being thrown in the brink. Better than the usual slap on the wrist and victims support
IMHO - all people convicted of drink driving and driving whilst disqualified, should get an authomatic 28 days HMP. I think it would serve as a good deterent. We've all read that road deaths are up. I think it is no coincidence that the number of people convicted of drink driving is also up.
Lets face it - they've been told by a Court in words of one syllable - You are banned. They are taking the p1ss.
Lets face it - they've been told by a Court in words of one syllable - You are banned. They are taking the p1ss.
xxplod said:
IMHO - all people convicted of drink driving and driving whilst disqualified, should get an authomatic 28 days HMP. I think it would serve as a good deterent. We've all read that road deaths are up. I think it is no coincidence that the number of people convicted of drink driving is also up.
Lets face it - they've been told by a Court in words of one syllable - You are banned. They are taking the p1ss.
and the courts are taking the piss with speeding cases ?
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff