Families Fighting for Justice: Just a bunch of pathetic losers?
It's amusing that a pressure group called Families Fighting for Justice is making a little bit of a noise in calling for something they have already had, namely justice! When an offender is prosecuted and faces the court, not only is justice being done but it is also being manifestly seen to be done. So, the Families Fighting for Justice campaign is illogical. They can be dismissed as just a bunch of blood thirsty nutters.
Nobody likes to be a victim of crime. There is a danger of this leading to irrational thoughts, and what is really being sought is vengeance hiding behind the word justice. These people who only think about their own grief blind themselves to the other victims. The offender may be a victim, certainly the offenders family become victims.
At least Families Fighting for Justice has a voice, which is more than can be said for those poor souls serving life for murder or manslaughter. They don't have the vote, therefore they have no voice in Parliament. Along with the 75,000 other convicted prisoners they are victims because their human right to the vote is being denied by the government in defiance of a ECtHR ruling. In effect, these convicted prisoners are suffering the 'civil death' of not being recognised as human beings entitled to even basic human rights. They are also suffering in silence. Perhaps, this is what Families Fighting for Justice should do?
A mixture of law, politics, autobiography and humour. Once described as "The Devilish Advocate" (Guardian), I do have the ability to provoke a response. Sometimes it comes from someone who uses a thought process, and sometimes from jerks usually associated with the knee.
Hear hear, well said John.
ReplyDeleteQuite frankly, after the criminal justice system has run its due course and a Judge has passed sentence, if anyone thinks there is any injustice on the victim's side, then the only person they should be taking to task is the Judge who passed sentence.
Once the offender has completed the sentence passed down by the Judge (maximum length of which should be clearly defined at the time of sentencing) they should be able to start again with a clean slate.
'Civil death.' Precisely.
ReplyDelete"those poor souls serving life for murder or manslaughter" deserve to be exactly where they are. do you honestly believe that our justice system is in perfect working order? do you think that serving 2 and a half years for the manslaughter of a 7 week old baby and being released after 9 months is justice? or your son being murdered by a group and not one person being prosecuted as the courts couldnt know for sure who delivered the fatal blow?
ReplyDeleteSince my family have been through the criminal justice system and all it comes with, I have some input here. The system looks after the murderer more so than the victim. We, as FFFJ, are not after vengeance, we are after justice. If a killer is given 'Life' then do not con us into it being ten years, that is not Life. We cannot bring back our loved ones who had their life taken with no choice. Believe me we are doing this to improve things for people who will suffer this after us. It is Total Devastation. Now kindly have the respect to show respect if you return any comments. We do speak for our loved ones - they will have a voice through us.
ReplyDeleteOptimisticgal: It is a pity that you mistakenly try to balance the rights of the convicted prisoner on a scale with the rights of victims or their families. They are separate issues in law. And should remain separate so that it prevents clouded thinking.
ReplyDeleteWithin a life sentence is the tariff set by the judge to reflect the twin aims of retribution and deterrence. It is at this point that the families of victims get their justice.
The biggest ememies are ignorance, prejudice and fear. The tabloids play on these and the stupid readers take it all in.
FFFJ are a bunch of interfering busy-bodies when they start mouthing off about seeking to deny prisoners their human rights to the vote. By acting stupidly on this issue they lose any credibility and become a laughing stock and a group not to be taken seriously.
John.
ReplyDeleteI am certainly not Ignorant, I've seen what these dangerous individuals are capable of - manipulation, using their intelligence for anything other than good, and breaking the law, amongst causing indescribable suffering on innocent people.
The system defends the offender to the hilt, I've witnessed it. Where there is conflict of interest, a victim's rights should come before a convicted killers.
I am not Predjudiced. The killer has had an influence on my trust in people but I am certainly not predjudiced. Lower end non-violent offenders, younger the better, I believe, can be helped and worked with to encourage rehab.
I am not Fearful of anyone after having seen what has happened to my family. I actually want to go visit the killer to talk about this, but hey he won't see me!
If things are that simple I'd say the ones who are ignorant, fearful or predjudiced are not the victims or the public.