Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam clarified some misconceptions behind the proposed Criminal Procedure (Miscellaneous Amendment) Bill tabled in Parliament earlier this month. Among these proposals is a sentencing regime where dangerous criminals may continue to be detained if they are assessed to pose a risk to the public after a specified minimum jail time.
The minister emphasized that the proposed regime does not necessarily mean longer jail times, as convicts who show signs of rehabilitation can be released. He also clarified that the regime does not take the sentencing decision entirely out of the court’s hands, as the court has to first decide on whether to sentence a person under it. Furthermore, individuals convicted of serious violent or sexual offences will not necessarily serve a longer sentence than under the current system, provided they show signs that they will not reoffend when released