Bexhill reader’s proposal to improve conviction rates

Shocking news. Convictions for rape are at their lowest level for a decade. Conviction rates have always been poor but now we are going backwards. As has been remarked, rape has been decriminalised.

We can go into the reasons why rape and other sexual crimes – including domestic violence – are at record levels (the Internet and video games topping the list) but why is conviction so low? In any other field of criminal activity, there would be outrage and demands for immediate action.

The reality is that we live in an extremely sexist world which affects even the judicial and court system.

What I propose may seem radical but the situation is so bad that I can see little alternative: 1) Abolish the presumption of innocence, ie, innocent until proven guilty has become a farce, the victim ending up on trial; 2) Abolish juries, they have neither the competence or experience to decide; 3) All judges to attend mandatory courses on sexual discrimination etc; and 4) Reintroduce capital punishment.

Just one more thing, not unrelated. Do parents know what their children are getting up to? Anti-social behaviour is out of control. Recommended reading: ‘Assassination Generation’ by David Grossman (Little Brown, 2016). Although detailing the American experience, much of it applies equally here.