Should killers get whole life tariffs?

A life sentence is called an indeterminate sentence, which means that the judge with give a minimum term to be served then it's up to the prison service to determine when they think the prisoner is safe to let out. In the meantime he'll move from high security prisons to low security and go through various programmes in the meantime.

The thirteen life sentences will probably all be concurrent, for obvious reasons - the idea is to set the tariff at the level proportionate to the seriousness of the offenses with the guidelines that they have for the crimes.

But the whole thing needs to be changed so that it's plain what actual term a prisoner will serve - drop the term life and stop pretending that an 8 year determinate sentence means 8 years, when it doesn't it means 4.

Originally Posted by Garde

“I stupidly assumed life meant, well life, but it appears its around 25 years. Yet someone with 13 life convictions gets to serve around 8-12 years ”

Good point, you may be surprised to hear that the average life's sentence is in fact only 12 to 14 years. I know of one case where a lifer served only 8 years.

The judge will often set a tarrif date and when that is reached the offender is risk assessed with a view to progressing that person through the system. Most lifers a start at category A maximum security establishments (at a cost of £60,000 per year), if they behave they work through cat B, cat C and finally to open conditions (cat D) before release.

If the offender learns how to play the system, they can pay lip service to the parole board and the probation officer who makes the recommendation to progress the inmate, "some officers" remain sceptical and arguably very cautious about those decisions. 

Regrettably the system is stacked against anyone who claims to be innocent (or is actually innocent) in other words they never get discounts on tarrif length and they don't get released early...so it pays to agree with the system, you get out quicker. 

There is a small handful of real "lifers" who will die in prison, Europe wants to change that...

like I said, it's complicated and very frustrating. I have worked with people who should never be released, but have to accept the decision of the parole boards. In contrast I have worked hard to support those who I believe have made changes to their lives and who can contribute to society even though the system did not agree and those individuals remain in custody waiting for the next annual review.

our system works on the assumption that most prisoners will be released, that equates to about 50,000 inmates every year. Probation manage most of these, many are returned to custody when things go wrong, that success is never reported.

Hi Ray,you must have one of the most frustrating jobs, and possibly at times rewarding that I've come across. Regardless of the politics, hats off to you and your colleagues who have to work within the constraints of the system. Makes your stop smoking thread even more impressive 

Mentioned earlier in this thread about a botched execution in America a few days ago.

Seems now that an Oklahoma Court has reset the date of an imminent execution to November, giving itself time to work out what went wrong with the last one.

Seems the drugs are in the spot light again.... watching this with interest.

Originally Posted by Steve Richardson

“Makes your stop smoking thread even more impressive ”

I think it is the best job in the world, I never have two days the same. It is quite bizarre in that some offenders do appreciate the work we do, especially when we are resolving housing issues and domestic bills for those in the community, not forgetting how we make an argument for the release of the ones in custody etc. Others however would be very happy to dance on my grave, they are the ones that we decide are too dangerous to leave prison and the ones we send back for being bad.

What is amazing was my ability to stop smoking while doing all of the above haha. 

Think we need Albert pierrpoint back...he would show them how to get the job done. His record was 7.5 seconds from cuffing the offender to sending him on the long drop with a short rope....

Now thats what i call swift Justice 

Originally Posted by Garde

“Now thats what i call swift Justice ”

Pity about it taking an average of 178 months from conviction to execution though....

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/time-death-row

seems a lot of people getting wound up. But some good comments. As joe bloe public, just tell us what a scumbag has got. Forget life sentence, just tell us 20 years, nothing less. Forget he was a good boy and kept saying sorry. The judge saide 20, he does 20 end of