Minority youths to get softer sentences in the UK.

The U.K. used to be viewed with awe and envy in equal portions, now... nothing but a joke

May as well just bring purge law into effect and the let chips fall where they may, justice needs to be done in equal measure for ALL, regardless of race, religion or any other b/s reason.

a reply to: crazyewok

Holy hell, I thought PC stupidity was an American thing.

In this case misery doesn't love company. This is blatantly racist.

originally posted by: ScepticScot
a reply to: burdman30ott6

Again this relates to under 18s and just says that all social circumstances of the offender should be considered.

Let's not play games here, it isn't consideration of their "social circumstances," it's consideration of their race.

I suppose the rules will apply equally to white kids who have been racially (or otherwise) abused?

Just as a thought - might not modern day Fagins recruit more kids with an 'ethnic' background in the anticipation that they'll get shorter sentences if caught?

I'm being a bit flippant but it's something a person with a criminal mind might see the advantage of...

a reply to: grainofsand

I agree with the *new* guidelines too. They're not exactly new and are more of a reiteration of advice that's been around through Labour, New Labour and Tory Governments.

The full draft paper is here (PDF).

Race or skin colour is one of many factors they consider. They also look at socio-economics and whether the offender has special educational needs like ASD or diagnoses for ADHD or moderate learning difficulties. Does the YP have support or agency involvement? Are there other interventions that would present better long-term outcomes than sentences to Young Offender Institutes etc?

Like you say, 'mitigating circumstances' is what these guidelines are saying and judgements have been doing this for years now.

Official statistics show that young people from minority backgrounds are over-represented in the justice system.

From the OP link

Yes they are. There are other groups too. People who were in care represent a high portion of the prison populations and so do those with low literacy. They all get taken into consideration. Race is the hot button.

a reply to: crazyewok

Don't worry your not alone.. It has been that way here in the US for some time now, "unofficially".

a reply to: Kandinsky

Sorry but colour of ones skin should not be a mitigating factor!

Disability yes, if there has been abuse ok i accept.

But the amount of melatonin in ones cells , god one worships or country of orgin should not be a factor.
Nor should the money in ones bank account.

If blacks are "over represented" in prison then they should stop committing do many dammed crimes!

a reply to: crazyewok

I don't think you believe your own rhetoric.

The lulz train is in town I see.

So minorities have no agency therfore aren't responsible for their actions (not as responsible ) lol

who's the racist.

Do you think this applies to towns and cities where the minority is the majority?

Telegrapgh article from 2013

White Britons a minority in Leicester, Luton and Slough White Britons are now a minority in three towns and cities outside London, according to a new report.

So just to clarify here, using race as a qualifier, profiling in the name of preventing crime, or virtually any use of race in a manner which may be seen as a negative to the minority is "bad" because it is discriminatory... yet using race to excuse crime, provide more freebies at the tax payer dime, and otherwise using race as some sort of badge of sheltering is perfectly fine?

hypocrisy

a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not : behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel His hypocrisy was finally revealed with the publication of his private letters.; especially : the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion

...it's becoming very clear why personal responsibility is viewed with such abhorrence among some these days, the system has been rigger and otherwise sensible people are serving as enablers.

a reply to: Lysergic

You win 100,000 internets. Dead on accurate take on this.

originally posted by: Kandinsky

I agree with the *new* guidelines too. They're not exactly new and are more of a reiteration of advice that's been around through Labour, New Labour and Tory Governments.

The full draft paper is here (PDF).

...

Assuming that draft paper is up-to-date...and admittedly I only had a chance to skim through it...these words don't show up:

Black
Muslim
Ethnicity/Ethnic
Minority
Colour
Race

So while those things may be taken into account (and fair enough in the right circumstances) they're certainly not some specific focus of the guidelines. It's rather misleading of the BBC article making it sound as if they are. (Unless of course I am missing something.)

a reply to: umbr360

Check your PMs

I read the draft and linked it by mistake instead of the final paper. The BBC source is this one (PDF).

originally posted by: uncommitted

originally posted by: crazyewok

Judges should consider whether a young criminal has suffered discrimination as an ethnic minority before deciding their sentence, under a new guideline.

BBC news

Here we have it a two tier racist justice system!

Justice should be blind to race. But no! White British children are to be discriminated against as minority children will get softer sentences

Race and religion should not play a factor in what sentence a criminal recieves.

Any judge is compelled to look at any mitigating factors prior to formulating the sentence. In the modern justice system that has always been the case. Are you saying if someone had suffered some level of abuse for whatever reason that it shouldn't be taken into depending on the alleged crime? Or are you just slipping into your Alf Garnett persona?

If a woman or man had been the victim of sexual predator behaviour prior to committing an offence, if someone had been the victim of attempted blackmail or serious harassment prior to committing an offence don't you think that should be taken into account?

Or are you just being an arse?

'But you are citing individual situations.

How is that comparable to having different sentencing guidelines for different races?

Are you honestly suggesting white youths deserve to have harsher sentences than others?

a reply to: crazyewok

Its not really preparing them for life in the adult world if they get a "stay out of jail" card is it?

What kind of lesson do you think they'll learn from this when they're older and might be tempted to break the law?

It also sends out an immunity message to minority youth and could possibly even be responsible for an increase in offending.

Well done.

a reply to: crazyewok

X2 thowwwy

originally posted by: ScepticScot
a reply to: burdman30ott6

Again this relates to under 18s and just says that all social circumstances of the offender should be considered.

Why does the fact that its only under 18 matter?

Why is race a social circumstance that should be considered? Why not weight or height?

Why are you trying to justify harsher sentences for kids based on their skin color?

How is this not racist?

a reply to: crazyewok

Holding ethnic minorities to lower standards, especially when it comes to law, is discrimination par excellence.

a reply to: Grambler

If they where discriminated against because of any of these things it should be taken into account. The guidelines confirm this.

No one is arguing for harsher sentences based on colour.