SURVEY: Should prisoners serve full sentence?

[Scott]

The Corrections Department is considering reclassification of prisoners involved in serious offences, shocking cases, or cases that are of wide interest to the public.   They are now classified as average.   Prisons can be classified as excellent, very good, good, average, need improvement and need immediate improvement.

 

Which of the following best describes your opinion on the release of prisoners.  

 

Please feel free to leave a comment

 

 

[bangkokfrog]

It's a bit hard to answer this question with the inconsistent sentencing laws in Thailand: 15 years for gathering forest mushrooms, 4 years for the Benz driver who killed those two post-graduate students in 2016, and (if you are well connected like the unlicensed teenage girl who crashed her car on the expressway) community service for manslaughter.

[Misterwhisper]

I think the base question as well as the answer choices are too simplistic, too "one resolve fits all". For the sake of legal justice each and every indictment must be treated individually just as much as each and every prison sentence must be regularly reviewed and, if warranted, adjusted.

 

That seems particularly important in the current oppressive climate where mere freedom of expression is handled as a "national security issue" and - laughably - a "crime against the nation".

 

 

[worgeordie]

All perpetrators of violent crime,Murder,Rape,kiddy fiddling,

should serve their full sentences, inmates who are in for 

lesser non violent crimes, should have their sentences

reduced for good behaviour,but should serve 3 quarters

of their sentence.

The two system of justice,one for the rich and another

for the rest, needs to be fixed,problem is it's the rich

and influential that are the ones that can do this,and

for obvious reasons they won't,this is a World wide

problem not just Thailand.

 

regards Worgeordie

[Airbagwill]

justice doesn't really exist in Thailand so it's a difficult question.

your viewpoint, however my be defined by what you y

think prison is for.

rehabillitation

penance

punishment

 

it also depends on what kind of unthinking animal you are.

[chrisinth]

8 hours ago, Scott said:

The Corrections Department is considering reclassification of prisoners involved in serious offences, shocking cases, or cases that are of wide interest to the public. 

There is a major problem with what is perceived as justice. Why should a clause such as 'cases that are of wide interest to the public' be included?

 

What makes it right that the public should have influence about a judicial sentencing?

 

Yes, I know it happens all over the world, but what makes that right?

[OneMoreFarang]

4 hours ago, bangkokfrog said:

It's a bit hard to answer this question with the inconsistent sentencing laws in Thailand: 15 years for gathering forest mushrooms, 4 years for the Benz driver who killed those two post-graduate students in 2016, and (if you are well connected like the unlicensed teenage girl who crashed her car on the expressway) community service for manslaughter.

I agree

Let's start with fair sentences. Some obviously guilty people are out on bail for 10 years just because they are able to prolong the final judgment forever.

Others have to go to jail for a long time for minor "crimes".

And that is obviously not only the case in Thailand.

[Dap]

Far too many of the prison populations worldwide are serving sentences for innocuous sentences such as personal use narcotics, These prisoners are an unnecessary strain on the system and have acquired an as*inine social stigma created by people in power who no longer have any right to be in their positions.

[Dap]

4 hours ago, worgeordie said:

All perpetrators of violent crime,Murder,Rape,kiddy fiddling,

should serve their full sentences, inmates who are in for 

lesser non violent crimes, should have their sentences

reduced for good behaviour,but should serve 3 quarters

of their sentence.

The two system of justice,one for the rich and another

for the rest, needs to be fixed,problem is it's the rich

and influential that are the ones that can do this,and

for obvious reasons they won't,this is a World wide

problem not just Thailand.

 

regards Worgeordie

Well said.

[KhaoYai]

5 hours ago, worgeordie said:

All perpetrators of violent crime,Murder,Rape,kiddy fiddling,

should serve their full sentences,

How can you say that? Remember we are talking about a country that hands out very harsh sentences for some crimes that in other countries are considered minor. Also, as has been stated elsewhere in this thread, some more serious crimes result in are punished with what most consider lenient sentences. Some, convicted of serious crimes in Thailand should have their sentences increased, some should not be in prison at all.  The justice system needs sorting out before these questions can be considered.

 

With the current sentencing tarrifs in Thailand the only way that this survey could be properly answered would be if it had a further choice - Should sentences be reconsidered before potentially releasing prisoners early?

 

I agree with the overall sentiment of your post but seriously, Thai justice needs a major overhaul first.

Edited May 17, 2020 by KhaoYai

[ChipButty]

50 years for 350 E's, bit much

[Nowisee]

All simple or minor possession of drugs should never go to jail.  Total waste of time, resources and money.  If they are addicts, then they should get free treatment when ever they want, as many times as they want.  They are not criminals and therefore it's not a legal issue.

 

If they are recreational users and you are one of those hypocrites that thinks it's ok to drink but getting high is evil, then give them a 400 baht fine and send them on their way.

 

Edited May 17, 2020 by Nowisee

[Purdey]

Too many people in prison suggests there might/should be other methods to deal with petty crooks. Visited Chiang Mai women's prison once and was heartbroken that so many women were serving 40 year prison sentences with no hope of parole. 

[worgeordie]

4 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

How can you say that? Remember we are talking about a country that hands out very harsh sentences for some crimes that in other countries are considered minor. Also, as has been stated elsewhere in this thread, some more serious crimes result in are punished with what most consider lenient sentences. Some, convicted of serious crimes in Thailand should have their sentences increased, some should not be in prison at all.  The justice system needs sorting out before these questions can be considered.

 

With the current sentencing tarrifs in Thailand the only way that this survey could be properly answered would be if it had a further choice - Should sentences be reconsidered before potentially releasing prisoners early?

 

I agree with the overall sentiment of your post but seriously, Thai justice needs a major overhaul first.

,Murder,Rape,kiddy fiddling, are not minor crimes,in my book anyway.

regards worgeordie

[emptypockets]

3 hours ago, ChipButty said:

50 years for 350 E's, bit much

Some people take cheating at Scrabble very seriously.

[KhaoYai]

7 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Murder,Rape,kiddy fiddling, are not minor crimes

I agree. I didn't quote your full post as its just a waste of bandwidth. In this case maybe I should have.

 

The rest of your post goes on to talk about less serious crimes and your thoughts are that those convicted should serve three quarters of their sentence. But three quarters of what? Of a sentence that was either ridiculously high or way too low in the first place?  Obviously I'm not party to Thai judges sentencing parameters but I've read some horror stories both ways.  I seem to remember a certain policeman getting 10 years for murder a few years back - already far too low. If his sentence was reduced to three quarters he'd only have to serve 7.5 years.......for murder!!!

 

Then there's the crazy drugs sentences that have done nothing to reduce the drug problem.  As I said before, the justice system needs sorting out before any talk of reducing sentences. The same could be said for many countries.  I've never understood why those convicted of fraud in the UK get off so lightly - a couple of months ago I read a case where some internet scammers had ruined people's lives by scamming them out of their life savings - totalling millions of £'s, I believe they got 4 years! Still, we are talking about Thailand and I believe anomalies are far greater there.

Edited May 17, 2020 by KhaoYai

[Relocated]

Internet merchant who doesn't keep the promise must serve twice of the sentence with no parole. 

I am really <deleted> to this type of ash holes.  

[ezzra]

Thailand and fair justice is an oxymoron in it entirety... 

[RJRS1301]

I note there is no option other than "released "

The other options I think should be "released on parole"

Released into community supervision with monitoring (bracelets etc) 

 

 

 

[RJRS1301]

20 hours ago, worgeordie said:

All perpetrators of violent crime,Murder,Rape,kiddy fiddling,

should serve their full sentences, inmates who are in for 

lesser non violent crimes, should have their sentences

reduced for good behaviour,but should serve 3 quarters

of their sentence.

The two system of justice,one for the rich and another

for the rest, needs to be fixed,problem is it's the rich

and influential that are the ones that can do this,and

for obvious reasons they won't,this is a World wide

problem not just Thailand.

 

regards Worgeordie

Letting someone out without adequate supervision, ie parole and monitoring, can prove problematic for people who have become institutionalised, and have no or only minimal supports in community. Needing housing, education, employment. 

This why in many jurisdictions they are allowed out on parole/licence and monitored after 85% of head sentence. Some crimes in some jurisdictions, "licence " for serious crimes means any infraction, licence withdrawn, back to prison. Licence can be set time "end of sentence" or lifetime.

 

[Airbagwill]

People are improsoned here for "crimes" that simply aren't crimes in most Western countries. The whole system is inconsistent, corrupted and biased. There isn't even an independent judiciary!