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A small piece of good in the Australian fire news
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<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 244751" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>No death penalty. Current penalty for arson leading to death is 25 years in prison. And that's for arson ie per fire, not per death. It's also difficult to get a conviction, because the defence is that "we didn't know people would die, we didn't mean it to be a big fire," and if there's reasonable doubt... mind you, in this situation, the extreme conditions and the many, many warnings to people to batten down the hatches and put in protective measure - there's no way anyone could use that defence, for the fires that were lit.</p><p></p><p>Victoria was the last state to execute anyoone - Darcy Dugan, back in the 60s. I remember. I also remember at the time that he was mainly executed because during an escape he planned, someone shot a prison guard. It wasn't Dugan but one of the other prisoners, but because Dugan planned the escape, they blamed him. They wanted him no longer an escape problem. Because it was looking too much like using a handy law, the campaigns to get rid of the death penalty was successful.</p><p></p><p>Since then we've had a number of prisoners who really would have earned the death penalty (Ivan Milat, for example) but they're in livelong lockdown.</p><p></p><p>I still am glad we don't have the death penalty - we are learning from these nasties. If Darcy Dugan had not been hanged, he probably would have eventually been released and lived out his days with no problems. But some of the mongrels we have in our prison systems right now, will never be released. A few who are like this who do get released on a technicality, are watched so closely that they either have to go straight (if they can - which is good, if they can) or, most times, they offend again (or get caught trying to offend again) and are back inside for as long as it can be made possible.</p><p></p><p>This works for us. I'm not wanting to start a debate on the pros and cons of death penalty; there are many differences between countries, our legal systems work very differently at times.</p><p></p><p>I can understand people wanting to lynch a firebug; I don't think it's right. Even if we had the death penalty, it would be unlikely a firebug would earn it. They're more likely to be placed where they can get treatment; if they cannot ever be trusted, they will never be released. For us, firebugs are like pedophiles; I'm sure there is a register, even if it's unofficial. Wherever that person goes, the police will know and they will make sure the brigades know, to keep an eye on that person every summer.</p><p></p><p>The main aim of punishment is prevention of recurrence. One way or another, we do what we can to ensure this to the best of our ability. A convicted firebug rarely, if ever, reoffends.</p><p></p><p>Mind you, we can dream... "something hot, with boiling oil in it, I think..." Mikado, from "Mikado" by Gilbert and Sullivan</p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 244751, member: 1991"] No death penalty. Current penalty for arson leading to death is 25 years in prison. And that's for arson ie per fire, not per death. It's also difficult to get a conviction, because the defence is that "we didn't know people would die, we didn't mean it to be a big fire," and if there's reasonable doubt... mind you, in this situation, the extreme conditions and the many, many warnings to people to batten down the hatches and put in protective measure - there's no way anyone could use that defence, for the fires that were lit. Victoria was the last state to execute anyoone - Darcy Dugan, back in the 60s. I remember. I also remember at the time that he was mainly executed because during an escape he planned, someone shot a prison guard. It wasn't Dugan but one of the other prisoners, but because Dugan planned the escape, they blamed him. They wanted him no longer an escape problem. Because it was looking too much like using a handy law, the campaigns to get rid of the death penalty was successful. Since then we've had a number of prisoners who really would have earned the death penalty (Ivan Milat, for example) but they're in livelong lockdown. I still am glad we don't have the death penalty - we are learning from these nasties. If Darcy Dugan had not been hanged, he probably would have eventually been released and lived out his days with no problems. But some of the mongrels we have in our prison systems right now, will never be released. A few who are like this who do get released on a technicality, are watched so closely that they either have to go straight (if they can - which is good, if they can) or, most times, they offend again (or get caught trying to offend again) and are back inside for as long as it can be made possible. This works for us. I'm not wanting to start a debate on the pros and cons of death penalty; there are many differences between countries, our legal systems work very differently at times. I can understand people wanting to lynch a firebug; I don't think it's right. Even if we had the death penalty, it would be unlikely a firebug would earn it. They're more likely to be placed where they can get treatment; if they cannot ever be trusted, they will never be released. For us, firebugs are like pedophiles; I'm sure there is a register, even if it's unofficial. Wherever that person goes, the police will know and they will make sure the brigades know, to keep an eye on that person every summer. The main aim of punishment is prevention of recurrence. One way or another, we do what we can to ensure this to the best of our ability. A convicted firebug rarely, if ever, reoffends. Mind you, we can dream... "something hot, with boiling oil in it, I think..." Mikado, from "Mikado" by Gilbert and Sullivan Marg [/QUOTE]
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