Criminals with a wide range of mental health conditions and learning difficulties could receive more lenient sentences under guidelines being issued to judges and magistrates.
Conditions ranging from schizophrenia to post traumatic stress disorder, and low IQ to dyslexia, ought to be taken into consideration when a court is deciding what punishment to hand out, according to proposals being introduced by the Sentencing Council.
As part of the guidelines, judges will be asked to assess what extent a person’s condition or disability might have played in them committing their offence.
The move is part of an effort to ensure that judges and magistrates have a clearer structure when dealing with people with a wide range of conditions.
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Bull crap. What about the victims families?
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It’s certainly a contentious area as to how much and which disabilities should be taken into account when sentencing someone for a criminal offence.
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I’m biased but I think insanity or psychosis should get less time or go to a mental hospital. I also think low IQ or developmental disorders too. Some people are easily convinced or manipulated due to their conditions.
But they should get time but nothing too harsh or too lenient. I also think too it is very contentious and depends on the crime. It depends on the situation and circumstances. Some judges are too mean and abuse their powers.
I think dyslexia shouldn’t be considered but then again I’m no expert…
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Being dyslexic has never impaired my ability to tell right from wrong. Someone with FAS may never be able to learn right from wrong – there’s literally a hole where that chunk of their brain should be. They may need to be removed from the population for the safety of others, but they won’t understand why they’re being punished.
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I think their conditions should absolutely be taken into consideration. We are not living in the Dark Ages. I thought they already were taken into consideration.
People with special needs and severe mental health difficulties, in particular, should be given more lenient sentences. It’s common sense to me. These factors are very important. The sooner the better.
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