Policy Area: Justice

Statement of General Direction:

Modern and progressive legislative measures to update public law.

Key Initiatives of Policy:

1. Identify causes of crime by continuation of existing projects.
2. Review The Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act to target repeat juvenile offenders.
3. Confiscation of motor vehicles for repeat drink driving offenders.
4. Reparation to be deducted from benefits.
5. Review legislation concerning confiscation of motor vehicles for repeat offenders and stiff new penalties with a view to toughening.
6. Review of Victim Support
7. Increase Victim Support resources by 50% in 1997/98 Budget
8. Review of legislation to ensure that criminals are made financially accountable fortheir criminal actions.
9. Victims to have right to be informed of parole hearings to enable submissions.
10. Review permitting victim impact reports being made available to defence counsel.
11. Establish capital fund to resource victim support facilities.
12. Pursue wider use of electronic surveillance against organised crime
13. Ensure both Police and local authorities have greaterpowers to remove gang fortifications without delay
14. Ensure that the Police have the ability to examine all relevant material provided to the court before bail is granted.
15. Review bail laws.
16. Review penalty for murder.
17. Mandatory minimum sentences for repeat violent offenders.
18. Strengthened provisions on criminal consorting.

Fiscal Implications of this Policy Agreement:

Not determined.

(All funding proposals subject to being considered within the agreed spending policy parameters.)

Legislative Implications of this Policy Agreement:

Possible:

• The Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act amendments
• Victim restitution
• Criminal consorting laws
• Bail laws.