Minister to review court sentencing procedures

Northern Territory Justice Minister Peter Toyne says he will review the way the courts are sentencing offenders after a sharp rise in the number of people being sent to jail.

Over-crowding problems at Darwin's Berrimah jail have seen emergency measures put in place such as the transfers to Alice Springs and the detention of prisoners in the Darwin police cells.

He says the Government is looking at ways to address overcrowding problems including the pattern of sentencing in the courts.

"The courts are not only sentencing more people but they're sentencing them to longer sentences," Dr Toyne said.

"Now that's what the general public want and we've certainly heard that consistently, but whether that needs to apply universally across all offences - that's what we're looking at at the moment."

Dr Toyne also says 22 prisoners transferred from Darwin's Berrimah jail to Alice Springs will be brought back.

He says it is policy to keep prisoners as close to family as possible.

Dr Toyne says once a new low-security facility at Berrimah is complete in a few months the Justice Department will look at returning the prisoners.

"So obviously as soon as that low security area's ready at Berrimah jail we'll reassess the location of prisoners and if it's possible to bring them back to Berrimah to be closer to family up there then obviously we'll try and do that."

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: Mon, 11 July 2005
Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Australia Web)
Copyright: 2005 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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