Justice Minister proposes tougher punishment for repeated minor offences

The Justice Ministry is planning to establish a centralized registry of minor offences to boost the fight against petty crime, Justice Minister Jiří Pospíšil told reporters on Wednesday. The ministry proposes that people who repeatedly commit minor offences should receive tougher punishment. Mr Pospíšil said efficient prosecution of minor offences was impossible without the existence of some kind of public record of offences and sanctions. He added that the existing registries serve only as statistics. The Justice Minister is now submitting his proposal to the government for discussion. If approved it could come into effect in mid-2013.