Insight: June 18

This week on Insight, Janice Petersen s guest host as the SBS forum takes a look at why remorse matters in the law, and how to tell if someone is truly remorseful.

Remorse is a mitigating factor in sentencing. Judges must assess an offender’s remorse, and if they find the offender genuinely remorseful, they can reduce the sentence.

But there is no definition in law for what remorse is. How can you tell if someone is sorry for their crimes, and not just sorry for getting caught?

This week on Insight, host Janice Petersen hears from judges, ex-criminals and victims of crime about why remorse matters in the law, and how is it shown?

Janice speaks with Greg Fisher, who spent 8 years in prison for corporate fraud and drug dealing. Having shared a cell with some of Australia’s most notorious criminals, Greg began the slow process of rebuilding his life while he was still behind the bars. We also hear from Arthur Bolkas, who, unlike Greg, could only feel true remorse for his victims nearly two decades after his crimes. Arthur was sentenced to 11 years in jail for multiple armed robberies, but was released after 5.5 years.

When Janice speaks to Sonia, an aboriginal mother of 3 with a 23-page rap sheet including fraud, drug dealing and robbery, she shares that she is not remorseful for her crimes because they were either committed out of necessity to survive, or to help out her friends. Janice also speaks with Sonia’s mother Shirley who pressed charges against her own daughter, after finding out she stole from her as well.

8:30pm Tuesday on SBS.