Finland Mulls Plea System to Unburden Courts
Image: YLE / Arja Lento
The Justice Ministry is considering a legal change that would allow criminals to cut down their sentences by literally paying for their crimes - in cash. Officials say such a system could shave time off lengthy trials; but some critics are wary of letting criminals buy lighter sentences.
The glut of cases at Finnish courts has created a backlog, extending the time it takes to get a hearing or trial.
Officials are now looking for innovative ways to unclog courts. The Justice Ministry is examining whether a plea bargain system could offer some relief. Criminals who plead guilty to their crimes could see reduced sentences or fines.
Justice Minister Tuija Brax says white-collar crimes may be ideal for plead-outs.
“Financial crime investigations demand vast resources from police and prosecutors,” says Brax.
Plea systems are common practice in Germany and the UK. In Germany, a criminal suspect may pay a fine to the state and avoid a court hearing altogether. While Finland is considering the pay-per-crime model, Brax says it raises serious questions.
“The idea of paying for crimes brings us face to face with questions such as whether all citizens are equal in the eyes of the law,” adds Brax.
The concern is that wealthy suspects could buy their way out of more serious convictions, and whether poor people lacking cash would plead guilty.
Finland's Prosecutor General Matti Kuusimäki blames slow trials on the fact that shoplifting and murder cases move through the court system in the same way.
The European Court of Human Rights has slapped Finland's judicial system on the wrist some 40 times for over-long trials. The court ruled that in some cases, where trials spanned over a decade, Finland violated European agreements on human rights.
YLE