CANADA’S GOVERNMENT WORKING TO KEEP CRIMINALS OFF THE STREET

March 27, 2009

(March 27, 2009) Winnipeg –Dangerous criminals should serve the jail time they deserve and thanks to the efforts of Canada’s Conservative government they will, says the Honourable Steven Fletcher, Member of Parliament for Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia.

“Our Government is fulfilling its commitment to keep convicted criminals from getting time off their jail terms,” said Fletcher. “Manitobans expect them to serve their full terms, not to get 2-for1 or even 3-for-1 deductions for time served.”

The legislation introduced today will change the Criminal Code to cap pre-sentencing custody credits to a one-to-one ratio and prevent convicted criminals from receiving inflated 2-for-1 credits for pre-sentencing custody.

“Inflated jail credits mean that criminals can be released, back on the street and in our communities much sooner than they should,” said Fletcher. “By eliminating these credits, our government will ensure dangerous convicts are off our streets, serving the jail time they deserve.”