[students_forum]

Originally Posted by Shelley_c

Confidence in judges in the UK is low. Has been for a long time now. Might be different from where you are but in the united kingdom there's a different picture being painted with killers serving two years, paedophiles getting let off after raping 2 year old girls, all because of the human rights act and of course the infamous "I'm ++++ing insane" I should be put into a luxury, low security hotel and kill again on day release.

This is not only absolute rubbish, but shamefully defeats the object of what a debate is. Either back up your comments with at least the tiniest hint of research or don't make any statements at all.

In my understanding of the British legal system (as a law student) I am immensely proud of it. That is the sentiment shared across the world, which is why the common law is the legal system most companies & corporations around the world choose to deal in.

Now, the insanity criminal laws are heavy, to say the least. And require, medical evidence ... so it isn't some form of excuse that anyone can get. In fact, many criminals would rather go inside than to be labelled insane! Of course, you're failing to realise the poor people you'd be denying a defence when they genuinely need it. Therein lies your problem. You take a general rule that seems to function pretty well and look at a few isolated and rare incidents were it didn't work and think the rule should be disposed off ..

I have never heard of killers being given two year sentences, naturally you won't provide any evidence ... so I'll simply move on and make my last comment that you haven't got a clue just how empowering the Human Rights Act is to you and I.

Only recently, the House of Lords senior judges voted that secret evidence obtained through tortured means can't be used against anyone. You, me and any other person in a court should be given a fair trial and a chance to defend yourself against what you have been accused of. The Human Rights Act guarantees that right and gives the judges the right to enforce it. In other words, the state can't take it away from you. And anyone who is prepared to deny people this basic right, is no different to the terrorist at-the-end-of-the-day in what the aim to achieve.