AAP: Premier claims credit for higher jail rate

Excerpt from AAP:

A Labor premier has claimed credit for the increasing number of people imprisoned before trial amid concerns about regional crime.

But legal experts say sustainable community safety cannot be achieved through jailing more people.

…

Civil rights group Justice and Equity Centre warned about taking bail decisions out of judges’ hands.

“People on remand haven’t been found guilty, and may never be found guilty, of any crime,” Jonathon Hunyor, the chief executive of the Justice and Equity Centre, said.

“It shouldn’t be politicians making decisions about whether they should get bail – they can’t know all the circumstances.”