ADVOCATES of tougher criminal penalties were just "talking through their hats", New South Wales's top prosecutor said today, insisting that harsher sentences did not reduce crime.
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Nicholas Cowdery also branded politicians' tendency to “bang on” about law and order as a “cheap” tactic.
He said what was needed was more money and effort to prevent crime.
Speaking at today's NSW Teachers' Federation Annual Conference, Mr Cowdery said research showed no link between tougher penalties for criminals and deterrence.
“People who tell you that increasing penalties to deter crime are talking through their hats,” he said.
“There's no straight correlation between the length of a sentence or the size of a penalty and the guarantee that it's going to produce deterrence from further offending, rehabilitation of the offender or indeed a satisfactory level of revenge or retribution by the community.”
Mr Cowdery, facing his fourth state election as the state's top prosecutor, said Australia was spending $7 billion annually on the “aftermath” of crime, but more funding and resources needed to go towards preventative measures.
“If we could transfer some of that expenditure to the front end – into more effective crime prevention – we would all be a lot better off,” he said.
“The direction for such an approach must come from the state and territory governments, acting where appropriate with the federal and local governments.”
Mr Cowdery said increasing police was “just the first step” in fighting crime.
“It's what you do with police that makes the difference,” he said.
“If you make them visible and effective in particular places at particular times it will reduce offending in those places and at those times.”
He said it was “too tempting” for politicians to avoid running campaigns about harsher penalties.
“It's cheap, it strikes a chord with some members of the community, the politicians would hope enough members of the community to make a difference to the vote that comes in, ultimately.”
“But when you pull it apart, when you look at the elements of criminal justice, when you look at the real results that occur, from policies of that kind, you find that they don't work at all.”
He had “no doubt” that NSW politicians would move to capitalise on law and order issues in the leadup to next year's election.
“All we can do, I think, is to keep on giving the message that is based on fact rather than the message that is based on emotion and gut appeal, which is what the politicians go on about,” he said.
He described current premier Morris Iemma's stance against mandatory sentencing as a “very big plus” and said Attorney-General Bob Debus was a “very effective minister”.
Police Association vice president Scott Webber accused Mr Cowdery of being “out of touch with community sentiment” when it came to police numbers.
He said police at the moment were “chasing (their) tails” when it came to numbers and more officers were needed.
