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IT’S ALMOST HALFWAY through the year, so you probably have a few favourite 2016 books already (or maybe it’s an old classic that you’ve discovered).
One of them might even have been shortlisted for the €100k International Dublin Literary Award, which is the most valuable literary prize in the world.
We have a set of the 10 shortlisted books to giveaway.
The award is sponsored by Dublin City Council and all of the books were nominated by public libraries across the world. Irish writer Mary Costello is in the shortlist, having been nominated for her debut novel, Academy Street.
The lucky winner will win all of the following shortlisted books (that’s one copy of each book):
The winner will be announced by Ardmhéara / Lord Mayor, Críona Ní Dhálaigh, Patron of the Award, on Thursday 9 June.
To enter, email your favourite book you’ve read this year (old or new) to competitions@thejournal.ie. The competition ends in one week.
Meanwhile, why not let us know in the comments what that book is too?
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That’s what one calls a jail sentence Take note judiciary in ireland
They won’t take note, why would they?
In Ireland the mandatory sentence for murder is “Life”. The judge has no power to give any other sentence. They are not allowed to put in minimum terms. The actual terms served for life sentances have been increasing over the years. It is up the Minister of Justice as to when they get released – the judiciary have no input in that.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/why-does-life-now-mean-a-much-longer-sentence-1.1857296
“In Ireland, a life sentence prisoner can expect to spend 22 years in prison. This is in marked contrast to the single-digit figures served by such offenders in the 1970s.
Ireland has now surpassed England and Wales in terms of time served. The relatively consistent approach to time served by murderers in England and Wales over the last decade ( 14 to 17 years) is in stark contrast to the increases in Ireland (from 11 to 22 years).”
The newspaper article you’re quoting is an opinion piece. The CSO figures also clearly illustrate a wide range of time served which in itself indicates a considerable variable in the likely length of time you’ll spend in prison, thus mitigating the effects of a mandatory ‘life’ sentence. Also, the numbers of convictions for ‘life’ sentences is considerably less than those for other serious offences where someone has been killed, like manslaughter or dangerous driving causing death.
So on the whole, it’s not a great article to quote. It’s fairly weak in fact, and it’s mostly opinion rather than fact (albeit with a few facts thrown in).
The fact remains that when you look at all prison sentences where someone was killed, then the likelihood is that you will serve single digit years. Sentencing should be a lot more harsher in Ireland; especially where you take the life of another person.
But you cannot compare manslaughter with murder. Manslaughter covers a much wider range of crimes. A single punch after a loud drunken argument where both sides have been aggressive can lead to death. That is manslaughter but it is not the same as pre-meditate killing and in such circumstances a suspended sentence may be the correct decision. Sometimes terrible things happen and they are by awful chance and not intended.
I understand where you are coming from, and I wasn’t suggesting that we compare manslaughter with murder. The two points I was trying to draw attention to were (1) that on ‘life’ sentencing alone there is a considerable variable in ‘Life’ sentencing which suggests a wide range of application of the term ‘life’ to a sentence and thus reduces what a ‘life’ sentence actually is. And (2) that if you include, not compare but include other sentences where a life has been lost that the overall figure of prison sentencing means that the number comes down to single digits.
I’m a great believer in the likes of broken windows’ theory and of restorative justice, and dare I say it, but suspended sentencing is a useful thing in the right circumstances. But I’m personally of the believe that if you take another’s life as a result of your actions that you should then be put in prison for the rest of your life. I do not see any natural justice or common justice in having one person six feet under and their family handed a lifetime of pain, and for the other person(s) to be left free after X amount of time. There are tragic occurrences, as you mentioned like one punch incidents, but a life has been lost forever as the result of another’s chosen actions. I personally feel there needs to be an accountable responsibility to ones actions. I may well be alone in thinking that however.
Very sad.
Victoria looks like a lovely person, a gentle soul.
She did not deserve to die like that.
From previous information relating to the couple she was far from gentle however nobody deserves to be murdered.
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