Last week, the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council launched their new website, “Judge for Yourself”. It is hoped that the tool will change the perception that judges are out of touch with the public. Legal Director, Dan Rogers is a member of the Sentencing Advisory Council and participated in the launch of the project.
Visitors to the site are invited to engage in three sentencing hearings and then decide the sentence they think is appropriate. The program has been endorsed by much of the legal community, including Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath.
“We have thousands of people sentenced every year, a very small percentage go on to appeal and an even smaller percentage of those are overturned,” Ms D’Ath said.
“So the majority of sentences are never challenged and are accepted by the victims, the offenders and the broader public.”
“But there is a misconception out there about whether some sentences are too harsh or too lenient.”
Former Supreme Court judge George Fryberg has also endorsed the program, acknowledging that “Too often the public is misled by inadequate descriptions of sentences, particularly in cases of violence.”
Council member Dan Rogers has pointed out that “Research has shown that when the community has all the facts, their sentences are slightly more lenient than judges.”
“The reality is the judges are not out of touch.”
Explore the resource here.
Robertson O’Gorman represents defendants at sentences to ensure the optimal outcome. Call us today on (07) 3034 0000.