Jailed for Life

[Broccers]

Do people only live 4 years these day ?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/so

Life sentence for banned driver

Help was called only after Kirsty was taken away from the crash scene
A banned driver who did not call 999 when his girlfriend was fatally hurt in a crash has been jailed for life for her manslaughter.
Kirsty Cash, 17, died after Andrew Bennett, 20, crashed a Subaru Impreza on the outskirts of Sheffield in April.

Sheffield Crown Court heard Miss Cash might have lived, but Bennett failed to call an ambulance for 45 minutes.

Bennett, from Sheffield, admitted manslaughter, perverting the course of justice and driving while disqualified.

[vonhosen]

A life sentence just means an indeterminate custodial sentence, it is no indication of the time to actually be served. A judge can set a minimum tariff with that life sentence.

[pikey]

vonhosen said:

A life sentence just means an indeterminate custodial sentence, it is no indication of the time to actually be served. A judge can set a minimum tariff with that life sentence.

Didn't know that.

[pikey]

< been thinking >

So why don't they call it "4.5 years"? Why call it "life... with a minimum of 4.5 years".

[vonhosen]

pikey said:

< been thinking >

So why don't they call it "4.5 years"? Why call it "life... with a minimum of 4.5 years".

Because when they set the minimum tariff there is no guarantee of you being released then, that's just the earliest you can apply for parole.

Applying for parole doesn't mean you'll get it.

[Jared_m]

vonhosen said:

Applying for parole doesn't mean you'll get it.

No, it guarantees it

[martind]

pikey said:

< been thinking >

So why don't they call it "4.5 years"? Why call it "life... with a minimum of 4.5 years".

I think it something to do with when you have served your sentence of say 4.5 years , you have served your time & are free. With a life sentence of 4.5 years , when freed you are on parole for life & so another crime could send you back for life.

[vonhosen]

Life sentenced prisoners

[LotusNova]

vonhosen said:

Life sentenced prisoners

Interesting link. The phrase 'Public Protection' is written multiple times. Wrt consequences of criminal behaviour, I put a higher priority on an effective deterrent to avoid a repeat behaviour (or segregation from society if a realistic deterrent is not available), rather than on punishment for what's happened (still important, but we can't change the past - and this should not be the primary driver, even though it is part of the deterrent itself). Just MHO.

In this case, there does seem to be a possibility that the person involved could be reintegrated into society along with a high risk of a repeat offence. Am I missing something?

[pikey]

vonhosen said:

Life sentenced prisoners

That's a good link. Thanks. I think it was the media's use of "life" that confused me.