Penalties given out by the courts are they fair?

lippz

Fines are set according to ability to pay here in the UK, so someone earning thousands would pay more than someone on benefits and now there is a surcharge of Â£15 per fine to pay on top of the fine itself!!

Being fined is supposed to hurt, so the pain of having to pay is relative!

achrimsdale

I thought they were based on income. They certainly are in Scotland.

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jackassdumbassmyass

I couldn't agree more.And for the person that said"keep your nose clean and you wouldn't have to worry" clearly has been sheltered there whole life.

Psycho Dave

NO NO NO it is those getting all the money that make decisions such as these you cant take the wealth from the wealthy the workers pay for it and 300.00 a week any jobs going at your place Dave

Bandit600

Sometimes they are fair, sometimes they aren't. It's the inconsistency of the courts that's the problem.

tina

actually yeah i think the sort of penalties a person pays should go off what he earns i mean 60pound is a lot out of 300pounds but then i suppose the person that earns a lot more than 300 wouldn't feel it so he would b more likely to do it again ware as the person that earns 300 or under would think twice b 4 doing it again,they need to have heavier penalties for high earners.

beavis b

Agree.

Doethineb

Your proposed system was tried out some years ago with the unit fine system and it was a disaster. It was operated under sections 19 to 23 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 and the Magistratesâ€™ Courts (Unit Fines) Rules 1992, and the system entered into force on 1 October 1992. The system applied only in the magistratesâ€™ courts to offences committed by individuals. It provided for up to 50 units to be imposed (that is, 50 weeks or one year) depending on the seriousness of the offence and provided for each unit to be valued at between Â£4 and Â£100 depending on the net income of the offender. Thus it was possible for the fine amount for a 50-unit offence to be Â£200 if the minimum unit of Â£4 applied and to reach Â£5,000 (the maximum allowed under the scale) if the maximum rate was applied. In arriving at a value for each unit, every court established local standard allowances for basic living (food, housing, heating, a community charge, clothing, and travel to work) which were deducted from the net income of the offender, with discretion to amend this figure to take account of "exceptional" expenditure. There were also allowances for dependant spouses, partners, and children. The resulting figure divided by 3 became the "disposable income" figure used to value each unit, up to the maximum of Â£100.

The whole thing led to some amazingly unfair situations. It was regarded as an unmitigated disaster. Let's learn from our mistakes. It doesn't work.

Bear

Its not just fines that are unfair but also sentences too. Why should a murderer be given the opportunity of freedom to rebuild their lives after such an atrocious act of killing someone.

There are tons of other examples where lenient sentences are dished out. One recent example was a serial rapist given 14 years, only to appeal and have it cut to 7. And he won't even serve 7 years.

kathy w

When the courts issue a summons, they also send out a statement of means, which you are supposed to fill in and submit to the court. This outlines income and expenditure and will decide what your fine will be.

The moral here is if you do the crime, pay the fine!!

pinksexybubbles

a person with that kind of money can feel like they have got a slap on the wrist and would probably continue getting tickets
the person with the lesser income will feel different. it won't be like a slap on the wrist in other words it would be a little unfair based on income

Jamie79

It would be bias on who can AND who can't afford it. I do think its fair. Earnings/Salary are in nothing to do with it!!I some people are successful and some people are not..thats life! think some of the offences in the Uk and what people are charged is laughable,offensive and disrepectful, especially to the families who have lost loved ones through someones criminal actions.In other countries they would put you straight in prison and for a long time too.

graham j

I absolutey agree with you

sarah1962

no i don't think so, i think most of the time they are right, as alot of people should go to prison, but they don't so a big fine is given,stay safe, all the best

saorsie

the law is an ***.

MUPPET

see that David Terry dude he is not as good as i thought he runs way hee hee

Please speak to another solicitor. I do not wish to answer any more of
your questions.
run run hee hee hee you are all the same now money no way

the mofo

sorry mate dont know what court you dealt with, or where you got the information.

but i think you'll fined that all convictions have a suggested fine/sentance. but the magistrates judge HAVE TO BY LAW take into consideration the earnings or the convicted person, and make an approriate judgement.

But dont forget if there is a victim in a crime and they are entitled to compensatoin, it has to be paid regardless of the earnings of the convicted person

Tina UM

Its not about being fair but raising money for lawyers and councils and the police !

snetterton

The answer's so simple I can't believe I'm having to spell it out. If you keep your nose clean and don't commit any crimes, then what does it matter how high or low the fine and your income are?

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