Sheep shagging 3 times will get you life in NZ?

Police, judge attack three strikes policy
The Government's new "Three Strikes and Max" crime policy has been criticised by a judge and labelled a political gimmick by the police union.

Wow, when you let ACT dictate policy from the fringes there's a backlash? How woulda thunk it. As the heat goes on this ridiculous 3 strikes nonsense some of the decisions are simply weird - sex with sheep will get you 14 years in prison no parole? Are you kidding?

The 36 offences that will qualify as a strike carry maximum jail terms of between seven years and life. Here the crimes are listed with the maximum jail term if convicted:

Murder, Life

Manslaughter, Life

Sexual violation, 20 years

Attempted murder, 14 years

Sexual connection with consent induced by threat, 14 years

Sexual connection with child, 14 years

Compelling indecent act with animal, 14 years

Wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, 14 years

Aggravated wounding, 14 years

Discharging firearm or doing dangerous act with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, 14 years

Using a firearm against a law enforcement officer, etc, 14 years

Abduction for purposes of marriage or sexual connection, 14 years

Kidnapping, 14 years

Aggravated burglary, 14 years

Aggravated robbery, 14 years

Causing grievous bodily harm with intent to rob or assault with intent to rob in certain circumstances, 14 years

Attempted sexual violation, 10 years

Assault with intent to commit sexual violation, 10 years

Attempted sexual connection with child, 10 years

Doing an indecent act on a child, 10 years

Sexual connection with young person, 10 years

Attempted sexual connection with young person, 10 years

Exploitative sexual connection with person with significant impairment, 10 years

Attempted exploitative sexual connection with person with significant impairment, 10 years

Injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, 10 years

Using a firearm to resist lawful arrest or detention, 10 years

Commission of crime with a firearm, 10 years

Robbery, 10 years

Sexual connection with dependent family member, 7 years

Attempted sexual connection with dependent family member, 7 years

Indecent act on a young person, 7 years

Indecent assault, 7 years

Wounding with intent to injure, 7 years

Aggravated injury, 7 years

Discharging firearm or doing dangerous act with intent to injure, 7 years

Assault with intent to rob, 7 years

14 years no parole for someone who has sex with sheep? Look, I'm not defending sex with animals, I just think 14 years no parole is a wee bit harsh for something that I think we can all agree suggests some mental illness on the part of the sheep shagger, and perhaps that person needs help not 14 years no parole.

Parole is one of the few tools usable inside prison to enable behavioural change. If the prisoner doesn't get into trouble, doesn't break the rules, takes courses and shows redemption, that behaviour is rewarded with the possibility of early release. Withdraw that tool altogether leaves no incentive on the individual to moderate themselves and change, and with dramatically longer sentences now being mandatory implemented our prison population will explode. The prisoners being released after 7 years hard time in 23hour a day double bunked lockdown, run by a private prison (whom numerous overseas examples show us rule with criminal brutality) in environments where no elected politician is directly responsible over, will be more damaged individuals coming out than we sent in.