SOME recent items in your paper led me on to broader thoughts.
I’ve noticed that while some violent offenders have been spared prison sentences, some people who have committed property offences – having lost their good names and employment prospects – have been jailed with, it seems, no valid gains for society.
Has this something to do with our antiquated justice system which is, almost unbelievably, based on Anglo-Saxon ideas? This includes magistrates being appointed by hole-in-the-corner methods and judges being predominately from one background.
Even more ludicrous is our ‘adversarial’ prosecution and defence system by which lawyers’ careers can be advanced by securing an incorrect verdict. More advanced European countries use the ‘inquisitorial’ system in which finding the truth is more important than court games.
To my knowledge, it’s only the ongoing Liberal Party which has a policy of radical structural law reforms. These, along with its policies on universal inheritance and the injustices of the leasehold system, are the new politics. Re-runs of the battles of the 1970s are the old ones.
ROGER JENKING
Oxford Liberal Party
Headington
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel