Sentences must send signal of firm stance against crime
From: Martin D. Stern, Hanover Gardens, Salford.
PERHAPS Margaret Whitaker (Why did we accept this rising tide of crime? The Yorkshire Post, May 13) may be correct that part of the reason for “the terrible rise in crime” is that, in previous generations “in their early lives the inhabitants of these Isles learnt the Ten Commandments... [and] everyone accepted these edicts at that time”.
Society’s rush to accept the politically correct dogma of “non-judgementalism” has replaced the Ten Commandments with “Ten Suggestions”, and these exert little moral influence.
From: A W Bower, Sellerdale Drive, Wyke, Bradford
MARGARET Whitaker despaired at the rise of crime. The leniency of sentencing is a cause of great despair. Last week, I read of a man in Ossett attacked by two thugs. A young man, he has suffered brain damage and had a stroke. These injuries will leave him with disabilities for the rest of his life.
If they find his attackers what sentence will they receive? The sentence should be commensurate with the sentence they meted out. No slap on the wrist – but life. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
From: Roger M Dobson, Ash Street, Crosshills, Keighley.
THE present consternation regarding suspended sentences is well founded. To me, if a judge or a magistrate has prison in mind, it should be forthwith. They should be telling the public that the judiciary are doing something positive about the crime problem in this country.
Such sentences do nothing but give the idea of a soft regime of punishment.
From: AE Hague, Bellbrooke Grove, Leeds.
A NATIONAL newspaper headline tells of a woman who was stalked, who had windows broken 11 times, door locks glued nine times, her car vandalised 14 times, a dead cat on her doorstep, slashed tyres 18 times, graffiti incidents, two paint attacks, 23 hate notes sent to friends and family, and who was finally stabbed eight times in a graveyard, having made 120 calls to the police before the threats were taken as serious, and all because they didn’t know who was responsible. I rest my case.
From: Andrew Mercer, Guiseley, Leeds.
ISN’T it time that the police spent more time catching serious criminals than pursuing motorists?