Banks highly critical of Labour Three Strikes back down

ACT Party law and order spokesman John Banks today labelled Labour soft on crime and said their plan to abolish ACT’s Three Strikes made no sense.  

Labour are well-known for their soft on crime approach – but to campaign on softening the penalties for our worst recidivist violent criminals doesn’t make sense.

“At a time when serious crime including  murder is finally on the decline, we cannot  get weak-kneed on violent crime. Three Strikes works and it will continue to work because it provides a tangible deterrent to violent criminals.

“It is no coincidence that homicide and related offending has dropped 23.8 percent over the past year, while crimes intended to cause injury has fallen by 3.9 percent, and serious assaults not resulting in injury are down  7.5 percent.”

Mr Banks said Ministry of Justice figures show that over roughly the same period 700 people have received a First Warning by Court under the Three Strikes law.

“The ACT Party is very proud of its role in getting Three Strikes passed into law" said Mr Banks.