Pubdate: Tue, 29 May 2001 Source: Advertiser, The (Australia) Copyright: 2001 News Limited Contact: http://www.advertiser.com.au/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1 Author: W. N. Jubb PUBLIC EXPECTS PENALTIES TO FIT THE CRIME OVER the past two years, police and similar agencies have had considerable success in detecting and charging those responsible for illegal behaviour regarding drugs. The Government is discussing increasing the penalties for those convicted of such behaviour. History shows that courts have too readily accepted pleas from defence counsel that "my client is only a gardener" relative to growing/possessing marijuana or "my client is simply a messenger" when caught with hard drugs. It is high time the courts reconsider their attitudes towards these pleas and impose harsher penalties for serious offences as is expected by the public. W.N. JUBB, Brighton - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom