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In a bid to meet its crime reduction targets, a bill to tighten sentences and reduce judicial discretion has been introduced to parliament by the Justice Minister.
The changes include capping the discount a judge can apply to 40 percent of the maximum penalty, preventing repeat discounts for youth and remorse, encouraging the use of cumulative sentencing and amending the principles of sentencing to boost the rights of the victim.
In a separate amendment to the Sentencing Act the Government is also bringing back the Three Strikes law.
The Ministry of Justice predicts as a result the prison population will lift by 1350 at a cost to the state of $150m over 10 years.
David Harvey was a district court judge from 1989 until 2016 and then from 2018 until 2021 on an Acting Warrant. He speaks with Kathryn Ryan.