Background & Purpose
The government wants to shift the focus from the offender to the victim and improve public safety. The goal is to ensure that prison sentences better reflect the severity of the crimes committed.
Proposals & Debate
The proposal includes increasing the portion of a sentence that must be served from two-thirds to three-quarters. It also suggests raising the minimum prison sentence to one month, extending the probation period to at least two years, and making it easier to deny early release if there is a risk of reoffending.
The Decision
The parliament approved the government's proposal, meaning stricter requirements for early release and longer probation periods will become law.
Does this affect you?
- Prisoners: They will spend more time in prison and face stricter conditions and longer supervision after their release.
- Crime victims: They may feel safer knowing that offenders serve a larger portion of their sentences and are under longer supervision.
In Practice
- Prisoners will generally have to serve three-quarters of their sentence instead of two-thirds.
- The minimum prison sentence is increased to one month.
- The probation period after release is extended to at least two years.
- Supervision will be mandatory for the entire period of conditional release.
- If a person commits a new crime during the probation period, the remaining time from the previous sentence will be served in prison without the possibility of new early release.