What is going on with our justice system?!

I am sick of it. I am sick of seeing report after report of men and women being let off almost scot-free for offences that are absolutely appalling. Just last week, I saw an article about a police officer on the Sunshine Coast who had been hit by a speeding motorbike.

While this seems like it was one tragic accident, there was more to the story: the joker who hit Senior Constable Len Elliot was being waved down for a random breath test when he failed to slow down and struck Elliott at such force that his leg was torn from his body and now he has to be confined to desk work.

As Senior Constable Elliott lay bleeding on the roadside, the motorcyclist just kept on riding. Did he go to prison for years for what he did? Nope: he is only spending 14 months in jail and will lose his license for four years. All of these after pleading guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death or grievous bodily harm whilst excessively speeding and leaving the scene of an incident without obtaining help.

The court heard that the young man didn’t brake at all, and didn’t show any remorse for what he had done.

There are so many things wrong with this case. Firstly, the poor officer who was just doing his job. And secondly, the young driver who didn’t even care enough to see what he had done, despite have blood all over his motorbike, and breaking his hand in multiple places. He knew he’d done something wrong but didn’t even have the guts to own up to it. Now an officer is without a leg and has no doubt been traumatised, and some young guy gets a lousy 14 months in prison? That just doesn’t seem right.

Then, just the other day, it was announced that Gerard Baden- Clay was not guilty of murder – nope, it was just manslaughter according to the court. What on Earth? This sort of verdict puts women’s rights back years, not to mention it just plain doesn’t make sense. And don’t get me started on the Oscar Pistorius trial – that young man is walking free as we speak. Both these men KILLED someone and yet it amounts for practically nothing.

I could go on and on about the stories we hear about men and women facing punishment not anywhere near harsh enough, and one the other hand we then hear of people who are locked away for years for either crimes they didn’t commit or for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It makes me sick thinking that the world we live in isn’t safe anymore. That anyone could just be killed, a jury find them guilty or murder, then a year later it be overturned. Where is the justice in that? What about the public’s safety? And most importantly: what about the families? These people have to live every day without someone, or even having to care for someone who has been injured. It’s a cruel world…

What do you think? Do you agree our justice system is not above board? Or are the times for these crimes fair?