The Sun has launched another sortie against Ken Clarke’s restorative justice programme. The paper reports:
The Ministry of Justice has responded by saying that it ‘strongly believe[s] offenders should make more financial and other amends to victims and are in the process of consulting on plans for this.’‘SHOPLIFTERS could escape prison by just paying for what they pinch and saying “sorry”. Jail sentences and tough fines will be SCRAPPED as the default punishment for nicking from stores under controversial plans soon to be unveiled by Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke. Instead he wants thieves to make face-to-face apologies to victims and pay compensation.’
The substance of that statement contrasts with Prisons Minister Crispin Blunt’s fire in the House on 11 January. Blunt said that a significant proportion of shoplifting was drug-related, before adding that:
‘In 2008, the rate of reconviction within one year for adults convicted of offences related to shoplifting was 78.3%.
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