Religion and Ethics Forum
General Category => Politics & Current Affairs => Topic started by: Nearly Sane on June 12, 2023, 04:24:53 PM
-
Oh ffs!
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/12/woman-in-uk-jailed-for-28-months-over-taking-abortion-pills-after-legal-time-limit
-
Oh ffs!
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/12/woman-in-uk-jailed-for-28-months-over-taking-abortion-pills-after-legal-time-limit
What in particular has aroused your ire.
-
What in particular has aroused your ire.
Sending the woman to jail, and criminalising this given the circumstances
-
Sending the woman to jail, and criminalising this given the circumstances
Though reading the sentencing instructions, maybe it's just tragic
https://crimeline.co.uk/carla-foster-sentencing-remarks-12-june-2023/
-
And yet this is a very good thread.
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1668276136021749762.html
-
Sending the woman to jail, and criminalising this given the circumstances
It seems Parliament would need to intervene to change the law if the prevailing view in society is that a custodial sentence is no longer appropriate in these circumstances.
-
And yet this is a very good thread.
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1668276136021749762.html
This thread suggests that the author thinks the Catt case was 'less serious', and I'd contest that. This case had more mitigatory factors, and more significant implications of a custodial sentence, but it had a degree of premeditation and (to my reading, not the Judge's statement) a cynicism in the timing of the various pleas and attempts to shift charges that wasn't immediately apparent in the Catt case.
Additionally, the reality that the courts typically see that sentencing women to custodial sentences is more detrimental to their children than sentencing men to custodial sentences, whilst undoubtedly generally the case, fails to be based on the particulars of the case (is THIS father incapable of caring for and supporting his children adequately) and runs the risk of unfairly imbalancing sentencing guidelines. We don't need to sentence women less often or less harshly, we need to get men to parent responsibly.
That said, ultimately, I'm not sure that a custodial sentence here helps anyone - I can't imagine that this lady's story will serve as a deterrent to anyone who finds themselves in a situation where - for whatever reason - finds themselves realising very late in the day that they have an unborn child that they don't feel they can see through to term. I certainly don't imagine that it's going to be necessary for a custodial sentence in order to deter her.
O.
-
Sending the woman to jail, and criminalising this given the circumstances
The sentence might be harsh in the circumstances, but the 24 week rule has been English law ever since I can remember. It’s hardly criminalising if the act was already illegal.