10 men facing “bleak, boring and scary” life

Crime reporter John Silvester considers the plight of the ten Victorian men who have been sentenced to life in prison without parole: “Those who refer to prisons as luxurious motel-style facilities either have never been inside one or need to check Trip Advisor before booking their next holiday destination (a toilet seat would be nice). Prisons are bleak, boring and scary.” He notes that “[i]t is not only civil libertarians and subeditors who call for shorter sentences. Many police and prosecutors privately say young offenders should be sent to jail only as a last resort, while career criminals should be treated severely.”