I get that Judges need to feel secure. As do politicians. I get that the former do not have much leeway when it comes to sentencing and that the latter are mostly concerned about their pensions.
What I don't get is how no one seems willing to tackle the problems that have arisen by a very sick society. No one seems to have been able to see the natural consequences of the choices tgat have been made on our behalf without even asking us what we want.
The ongoing attempt to subvert and undermine Brexit, the refusal to have proper border controls, tge refusal ro deport both legal and illegal migrajts who commit terrible crimes, the imprisoning of people like Lucy Connolly instead of people who routinely steal and shoplift and manufacture and supply drugs that are causing mass psychosis in young people.
Its all very well to protect the law makers but what about protecting those for whom the laws are made?
It goes without saying that death threats to Judges is totally unacceptable but the fact that they are happening at all shows the shocking state of our whole society as it currently stands with our country’s borrowing costs for our State to operate at all is the second worst after Botswana in the whole world. Financial failure of this magnitude usually leads to a State of Emergency. If these threats came after the non custodial sentence of two teenage boys found guilty of an appalling rape of a young teenage girl who felt a rock had been smashed into her face after having to relive her trauma to stand up and testify should at the very least have been explained completely fully by the judge at the time. I am well aware from hearing from a Crime & Police Commissioner of an appalling teenage crime causing millions of pounds damage to the charity vehicles of one of our major cities explaining his dilemma in being loathe to give these 2 teenage boys custodial sentences because of the fear of them being made more dangerous in the institutions meant to both punish and reform them because of the drug problems within them. But neither is it right to not give a punishment to two teenagers mercilessly raping a young girl traumatised for life so that at least she feels the justice system has delivered the punishment they actually deserve.
I think too much emphasis is being given to diversity.
For my part we should be talking about competence and good judgment. Too many of our leaders lack those qualities. Politicians should do their part in defending judges and not be scoring political points, often commenting when not in full possession of the facts.
Treatment of judge's as you describe should be visited with the most severe penalties. Judges - in crime or civil or admin tribunals - have a role fundamental in a civilised society.
But, but, but... Open justice is all to the good. But what happens if a journo/lawyer (like you), an academic or a lawyer (like me) spots an error in a judgment? Can this ever be put right by a non-party, even for good clear cause? Impossible, I think. But see https://dburrows.substack.com/p/can-a-court-watchdog-bark-part-3; otherwise 'judging the judges...'.
A note 200 word note on this could follow for a clear summary of what I believe could be done.
I get that Judges need to feel secure. As do politicians. I get that the former do not have much leeway when it comes to sentencing and that the latter are mostly concerned about their pensions.
What I don't get is how no one seems willing to tackle the problems that have arisen by a very sick society. No one seems to have been able to see the natural consequences of the choices tgat have been made on our behalf without even asking us what we want.
The ongoing attempt to subvert and undermine Brexit, the refusal to have proper border controls, tge refusal ro deport both legal and illegal migrajts who commit terrible crimes, the imprisoning of people like Lucy Connolly instead of people who routinely steal and shoplift and manufacture and supply drugs that are causing mass psychosis in young people.
Its all very well to protect the law makers but what about protecting those for whom the laws are made?
It goes without saying that death threats to Judges is totally unacceptable but the fact that they are happening at all shows the shocking state of our whole society as it currently stands with our country’s borrowing costs for our State to operate at all is the second worst after Botswana in the whole world. Financial failure of this magnitude usually leads to a State of Emergency. If these threats came after the non custodial sentence of two teenage boys found guilty of an appalling rape of a young teenage girl who felt a rock had been smashed into her face after having to relive her trauma to stand up and testify should at the very least have been explained completely fully by the judge at the time. I am well aware from hearing from a Crime & Police Commissioner of an appalling teenage crime causing millions of pounds damage to the charity vehicles of one of our major cities explaining his dilemma in being loathe to give these 2 teenage boys custodial sentences because of the fear of them being made more dangerous in the institutions meant to both punish and reform them because of the drug problems within them. But neither is it right to not give a punishment to two teenagers mercilessly raping a young girl traumatised for life so that at least she feels the justice system has delivered the punishment they actually deserve.
I think too much emphasis is being given to diversity.
For my part we should be talking about competence and good judgment. Too many of our leaders lack those qualities. Politicians should do their part in defending judges and not be scoring political points, often commenting when not in full possession of the facts.
Odd to talk about “comity” between judges and Parliament on the one hand and independence of the judiciary on the other…
Treatment of judge's as you describe should be visited with the most severe penalties. Judges - in crime or civil or admin tribunals - have a role fundamental in a civilised society.
But, but, but... Open justice is all to the good. But what happens if a journo/lawyer (like you), an academic or a lawyer (like me) spots an error in a judgment? Can this ever be put right by a non-party, even for good clear cause? Impossible, I think. But see https://dburrows.substack.com/p/can-a-court-watchdog-bark-part-3; otherwise 'judging the judges...'.
A note 200 word note on this could follow for a clear summary of what I believe could be done.