Unintended Consequences

Updated July 11, 2012, 12:41 pm

Sex offenders policy dangerous: Qld police

"Queensland has passed new laws to jail child-sex criminals who reoffend for a minium of 20 years.

Queensland police fear life sentences for repeat child-sex offenders may push more attackers to kill their victims to eliminate witnesses.

The Queensland government passed a two-strike policy against child-sex offenders on Tuesday.

An adult already convicted of a serious child-sex offence will face a mandatory life jail sentence with a minimum non-parole period of 20 years if they commit another serious offence against a child.

A Queensland Police Service letter warned the government it could have unintended consequences.

"... as the proposed 20-year non-parole period will apply for both murder and repeat child-sex offences, an offender may consider killing the child victim to evade punishment under the rationale there is little incentive to leave a child witness alive," it said.

The letter, submitted to the government in June when the tougher laws were only a proposal, also warned there may be a reduction in reporting of child-sex offences in families where a witness does not want the offender to face life in prison."

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/national/14191215/sex-offenders-policy-dangerous-qld-police/

Police service's dire warning over two-strike policy for child sex offenders

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/police-services-dire-warning-over-twostrike-policy-for-child-sex-offenders-20120711-21uqo.html

Two strike policy passed in Parliament

http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=79835

Consent should be a sliding scale, say advocates
 
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/consent-should-be-a-sliding-scale-say-advocates-20120717-2289k.html#ixzz20yNWO4Ro