Punishment....

[dilligaf]

found this

http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2486641.htm

that includes

Victoria Police may lay murder charges
PM - Monday, 9 February , 2009 18:42:00
Reporter: Zoie Jones
The Victoria Police say that people who started any of these fires may face murder or manslaughter charges if the evidence is strong enough.
But experts believe a charge of murder may be difficult to prosecute.

ROBERT MCCLELLAND: All I can say is, anyone who lights a fire with reckless indifference to the safety of fellow Australians, satisfies the intention, the criminal intention to satisfy a murder charge. So the authorities are going to regard this very, very seriously.

ZOIE JONES: The Victoria Police force has said any one found responsible for the fires could be charged with reckless murder, which carries a possible life sentence.

They could also be charged with arson causing death, which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years' jail.

[kaneg]

All I know is that decent people are fed up in general for punishment not fitting the crime.

It wouldn't hurt to get back to the basics and acknowledge that there are two great human motivating factor : fear & desire

Our lawmakers have to legislate punishments that are scaring the living daylight out of people who otherwise might commit a crime like lighting fires just for the fun of it.

Where would you like to get caught smuggling some drugs? Here, or in Indonesia ?

Once upon a time (about 25-30 years ago) when Singapore's prime minister Lee Kuan Yew announced a $500 fine for tossing a cigi butt in the street, other liberal nations viewed it with criticism.
Well, history proved him right. Singapore is the cleanest place on the planet. It's also the safest, you can leave your windows and doors open at night, no one would dare enter and commit a crime....... they have the fear factor working for them.

Sure it's negative motivation, but it works.

[javaman]

Well, history proved him right. Singapore is the cleanest place on the planet. It's also the safest, you can leave your windows and doors open at night, no one would dare enter and commit a crime....... they have the fear factor working for them.

Sure it's negative motivation, but it works.

Texas is alot safer I heard

When a thief can sue the victim because he broke his leg, limbs etc, that gets a bit ridiculous.

[badinov]

We all live in this lucky country, and understand the inherient dangers of the bush.
Under such temperature conditions,any rational person knows what will happen !!!!

NO EXCUSES !
Trial by fire.
If found guilty, without doubt ! That person should be dropped off by helicopter, within the fire. They can have a close look at what they desired & created. A chance to experience (as their victims have) the last dying moments.
It's harsh...BUT... As ye sow, so shall ye reap...

[Gazza]

They can have a close look at what they desired & created. A chance to experience (as their victims have) the last dying moments.

Not good enough i think.

they should suffer in the most horrible way imaginable for the rest of there lives or untill there bodies give up the natural
erg for the fight to stay alive.

a quick death for these assholes is way way to easy.

[myk1979]

I'm no expert but i imagine burning to death would be about the worst possible way to go, and by no means a "quick death".

Seein as they love fire so much, let them die by it. Tie them to a tree and set it alight. The tree will thrive after the fire is put out and the scumbag arsonist will be burnt to death everybody wins.

[the kid]

Interestingly if anyone is actually caught they would be safer being locked away for a very long time .
A Mate had been at a change of shifts with the CFA who had an area under control when things flared up again . The crews were sure that someone had relight things I know that if that someone had been caught they would now be a fire statistic .
Around Beaumaris/Blackrock in bayside melbourne there is a serial arsonist / nutter who lights up the foreshore scrub everytime there is a reported day of extreme fire danger . Did it again last Saturday I believe , such a disturbed person .

[dilligaf]

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/art ... _news.html

Motorcyclist is arson suspect

Adam Walters

February 11th, 2009


POLICE are searching for a young motorcyclist identified as the main suspect in the fires that have left 21 people dead in Gippsland.

A photograph allegedly captures the suspect in the act after a school teacher grabbed his digital camera and chased the man down a fire trail.

The teacher, Cameron Tingay, managed to get within 80m of the man before he sped off.

``I saw him hiding among the trees just beyond my bottom paddock,'' Mr Tingay said.

His wife, Karen, managed to get the registration number of the black road bike: BT505.

The wanted man, riding with L-plates, was seen acting suspiciously near the town of Churchill, in the Latrobe Valley, throughout the weekend.

He's believed to be in his late teens or early twenties and was wearing blue board shorts and a white singlet.

The photograph, handed to police, shows the bike's tail-light and a plastic container strapped to the back.

Police believe he is responsible for at least two fires in the district.

They expect to soon release a photofit of the suspected arsonist.

Crime Department Assistant Commissioner Dannye Moloney said two arson investigations were under way in the area.

``Approximately five to seven days beforehand there were a number of other fires up in that area,'' he said.

``There are suspicious fires out there.

``The Churchill fires, as far as we can conclude at this stage, must be considered as suspicious and that is being investigated as we speak.''

[mick_dundee]

Surely a deadly obsession with fire is grounds for criminal insanity??

That's the big worry, if they get found and get a brief and they use this argument they'll get off with a slap on the wrist at best...

[Dunny]

Death by paper cuts and that stuff the docs use for road rash

[kaneg]

Todays survey on yahoo to date shows the following results :

Thanks for voting!
Q:
What punishment do you think the Victorian arsonists should face?

12564 votes since Jan 1 2009

Charge them with murder 49% 6117 votes
Bring back the death penalty 35% 4402 votes
Rehabilitate them 2% 226 votes
Face their victims 14% 1819 votes

[DaveGPz]

Lost some friends in '83. The civilised part of me says "rehabilitate the poor souls". The visceral part of me says "use them to fertilise the regrowth". To be honest, visceral is winning (and I'm not comfortable with that).

[ducati_paul]

What about the other low lifes that are looting! people stealing are fucking low but to go into a disaster area like that and steal from people who have lost so much already .... there should be a VERY stiff penalty for those scum!

[Naked Twin]

If I was a lawyer I would be asking for a mistrial on the grounds that there is no way that the accused will get a fair trial. Clearly it is unlikely you are going to find an impartial person in Victoria to be a part of the jury. Already people are talking about punishment and the guy isn't found guilty yet.

Don't buy into the hype, let the facts come out then judge and make an assessment of what is the correct punishment.

If they are guilty jail time no matter how short and be on a register where they have to report to police every day during high fire danger periods. Take away some freedom for a while.

Nick

[Shifty]

Texas is alot safer I heard

When a thief can sue the victim because he broke his leg, limbs etc, that gets a bit ridiculous.

I was reviewing some cases at a work function the other day. In one a burglar who was shot by a security guard was paid $180,000 as the force was excessive and a 'reasonable person' would not expect to have someone shoot at them and chase them down the street in a hail of bullets. The burglar was still sent to jail for the crime, but was given the huge windfall as compensation so when he got out he could have all the coke & hookers he wanted.

Interesting application of the law.