Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis is ignorant of the harm caused when people break the law, National’s Corrections spokesperson Simeon Brown says.

“Kelvin Davis indicated community sentences were for low level crimes, telling Parliament yesterday ‘most of them were there for traffic offences and non-payment of fines, so I’m not quite sure who we’re expected to consult with when he’s talking about victims’.

“In the past two months alone, offenders have been sentenced to Community Service for assaulting police, firearms offences and sex offenders breaking release conditions. Kelvin Davis claiming these are victimless crimes is an insult to victims across the country.   

“Even at Level 1, when Community Service should have re-started the Minister continued to wipe off hours from community service sentences, effectively letting criminals off the hook. 

“It is the Ministers job to enforce Court imposed sentences. It is simply unfair that those who have committed crimes in our communities should get off with lighter sentences. If you do the crime, you should do the time.

“Victims should be at the heart of our justice system, but right now Kelvin Davis is letting them down. National will always stand on the side of victims.”