While the Criminal Code Amendment Bill 2005 was unanimously passed by both PLP and UBP Senators on Wednesday, several Senators took the opportunity during a debate on the bill to raise their concerns over the increase in crime in Bermuda.

Under the current law, a person who breaches a probation order is liable to be prosecuted for the breach by way of a new criminal offence.

This provision requires the Police to conduct an investigation, produce a file and present it to the Director of Public Prosecutions with a recommendation for prosecution.

Sen. Reginald Burrows said the Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety has been advised that the preparation of breach files as a separate new offence is time-consuming and that it relies upon certified documentary evidence from the courts to prove the existence of the order.

He said the bill would enable the court that ordered the probation to deal with the breach, without the need for the person concerned to be separately prosecuted for that breach.

In essence, trained probation officers, who provide the community-based supervision of offenders, will be able to lay the information before the courts expediently and for timely resolution by the courts.

Independent Senator Walwyn Hughes said he had personally been affected by crime as his home has been burgled five times.

He said something had to be done to deter people who commit multiple offences.

"It causes social distress and when tourists are involved it undoes years of work," he said.

Sen. Hughes said he was happy to see that the length of incarceration had been increased in the bill.

Opposition Senate Leader Kim Swan said Government should not overlook the reality of "prison without bars" ? referring to the people affected by crime.

Sen. Swan said Bermuda had a small minority of people "running rampant using cowboy tactics" like machetes.

These people tend to receive the same prison sentences as those who commit much lesser crimes, he added.

"It speaks to a need for us to look at the length of sentences across the board," he said.

While there may only be a small percentage of repeat offenders, Sen. Swan said that Government was spending $65,000 a year on each of them, while they serve sentences at Westgate, which members of the public ? their victims ? are forced to pay.

He said "tougher measures" were necessary and Government should stop telling everyone that "everything is okay".

"It is not okay ? enough is enough," he said.