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Indefinite, Inhumane And Inequitable - The Principle Of Equal Application Of The Law And The Natural Life Sentence: A Reform Agenda, John L. Anderson
Indefinite, Inhumane And Inequitable - The Principle Of Equal Application Of The Law And The Natural Life Sentence: A Reform Agenda, John L. Anderson
John L Anderson
In this article, it will be argued that not only is the indefinite nature of the sentence of life imprisonment inhumane, but the available evidence graphically demonstrates an eclectic approach by the judiciary to the practical application of
the natural life sentence resulting in a clearly inequitable distribution of this ultimate form of punishment. This is contrary to one of the most basic tenets of the common law legal system, that the law should be applied equally to all
persons. In an era of 'law and order' politics with the emphasis on a retributive and incapacitative policy approach to sentencing, …