By MICHAEL FOX – The Dominion Post 26/08/2010
A “growing discrepancy” exists in the way the judicial system deals with those in power compared with the underprivileged, experts say.
The gulf was highlighted yesterday by the sentences handed down to Roger McClay and Andrej Schwaab.

Rethinking Crime and Punishment director Kim Workman said those caught abusing positions of privilege and committing financial crimes were treated more leniently than those who committed other crimes and came from less privileged backgrounds.

Mr Workman said an example should have been made of former MP Roger McClay.

“When someone like Roger McClay does things in a quite deliberate way and quite calculated and they’re rational thinking people who were well educated, well, then I have very little sympathy for that.

“Those are the people that should be punished as an example to the rest of the community.”

White-collar crime was not as emotive as violent offending – although it cost the country $72 million in the year to June.

There was a growing discrepancy in the way the judicial system dealt with people at the bottom of the socio-economic scale compared with those at the top.

“I think we need to realise that the powerful of this world need to be punished just as enthusiastically as the powerless.”

Read whole article
Related Article: Women treated differently
Related Article: They are quite different cases

Be Sociable, Share!

•