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British Govt Rolls Back Civil Rights
As part of the political and economic crisis racking all the capitalist countries the British government has recently passed it's version of a crime bill. Home Secretary Michael Howard says the bill is the most comprehensive attack on "crime" in three decades. This follows over a decade of war by the ruling class on the British poor and working class.
The core of the new bill will allow children as young as ten to be imprisoned for a variety of crimes such as robbery, rape, manslaughter and murder.
One of the other main proposals will drop a suspects right to remain silent. Currently, a suspect is told by police that he has the right to remain silent but that anything he says may be used as evidence against him. Under the proposed change a suspect will be told that failure to reveal relevant information to the police may damage his case.
Some civil libertarians have condemned this crime bill. However, it is hardly new. For years now suspects accused of political offenses have had no right to silence. While being tried in front of special one judge courts the judge is entitled to weigh a suspects' silence against them. This is another case where the draconian measures used to crush political dissent are later used against the populace at large.
The core of the new bill will allow children as young as ten to be imprisoned for a variety of crimes such as robbery, rape, manslaughter and murder.
One of the other main proposals will drop a suspects right to remain silent. Currently, a suspect is told by police that he has the right to remain silent but that anything he says may be used as evidence against him. Under the proposed change a suspect will be told that failure to reveal relevant information to the police may damage his case.
Some civil libertarians have condemned this crime bill. However, it is hardly new. For years now suspects accused of political offenses have had no right to silence. While being tried in front of special one judge courts the judge is entitled to weigh a suspects' silence against them. This is another case where the draconian measures used to crush political dissent are later used against the populace at large.
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