Higher sentences debate for home invasions backed

A meeting of politicians, the legal profession and justice reform campaigners has backed further debate of a proposal by home invasion victim Peter Bentley for longer prison sentences for the crime.

Mr Bentley, who was attacked in his home in Te Puke farm in 2004, proposed mandatory 10-year minimum sentences for all home invasions and additional time if firearms were used.

The meeting in Hastings last night, organised by the Sensible Sentencing Trust and attended by Corrections Minister Damien O'Connor, gave unanimous support to debating the idea.

New Zealand's track record for violent crime and reoffending and parole laws were heavily criticised.

Law Commissioner Warren Young said: "Our statistics in child abuse and deaths by comparison to many countries is poor and although crime rates have been going down, serious crime is going up.

"Imprisonment rates per capita are very high and it's a situation that's predicted to get much worse in the next five years unless we find a way to get off the treadmill."

The Law Commission wants a sentencing council to be established to set new guidelines and a reform of the parole system. It wants sentences imposed by the courts to properly reflected those served.

Mr O'Connor said New Zealand's incarceration rate was the second highest in the western world and, while crime rates were at their lowest since 1982, there were still instances where people expected greater punishment and retribution.

"We do have a responsibility to ensure we have a court system that is fair and a corrections system that adequately hands down sentences," he said.

National's law and order spokesman Simon Power said petty criminals were filling up New Zealand's jails while serious offenders were released early.

"When the claim is made that we are being tough on crime I don't think this is what people had in mind. Our prisons may have warm floors but they also have revolving doors," Mr Power said.

- NZPA