Three strikes no deterrent: Lawyer

The hardline 'three strikes' sentencing law imposes heavier penalties on repeat violent or sexual offenders, ensuring they receive the maximum allowable sentence for their crimes.

Tough "three strike" legislation is having little impact on Wairarapa criminals, a Masterton lawyer says.

Wairarapa and Manawatu's worst criminals have notched up 144 "strikes" under the three-strike legislation - one of which was for homicide.

The hardline sentencing law imposes heavier penalties on repeat violent or sexual offenders, ensuring they receive the maximum allowable sentence for their crimes.

Convicted offenders receive a standard sentence after the first strike, a sentence without parole on their second and the maximum sentence without parole for their final-strike offence.

Sexual offences made up the majority of "strike one" warnings in Wairarapa and Manawatu with 56, followed by "robbery and extortion" with 43.

Violent crime accounted for 36 of the strikes, while three were for abduction and harassment. One of the strikes was for homicide, recorded in 2011.

There were no second or third strikes in the region.

Since the legislation was introduced in June 2010, the total number of warnings issued in Wairarapa/Manawatu has risen year-on-year.

Masterton defence lawyer Louise Elder said the three strikes law didn't deter criminals from committing serious offences.

"The kind of offences that are on the schedule for the three strike [law] ... people who commit those offences are not stopping to think about whether or not they're going to get a strike at the time."

The sentencing concept was relatively new and the full weight of accruing strikes wasn't well understood, she said.

"[Offenders] don't understand the difference between a first strike and a second strike. We often have to explain it very carefully to people."

In July last year, Masterton man Kerry Godfrey was given a first-strike warning for stabbing another man in the buttocks with a hunting knife during a dispute about washing dishes.

He was also sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison.

In October, Masterton woman Lee Peneha was given a first-strike warning for her part in a brutal attack on a mother and daughter, during which she stabbed the younger woman and ripped out a clump of the older woman's hair and burnt it on the stove.

She was jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Since the three strikes law came into force, more than 3700 first strikes have been slapped on offenders nationwide and 29 convicted criminals are on their second, or "final" warning.

No third strikes have been recorded so far.

Last year, 1339 first strikes were issued - the highest number for sexual offences, followed by robbery and extortion. Sixty-one received their first warning for homicide offences.

Minister of Justice Judith Collins said it was too early to assess the full impact of thelaw.

The rise in the number of strikes since 2010 was largely thanks to "lag time" in the legislation's implementation, she said.

Garth McVicar of the Sensible Sentencing Trust said the low number of second offences showed the policy was working.

Under the old system, recidivist offenders could clock up as many offences as they liked with few repercussions.