I would disagree, simply because the types of sentences that were being handed out really shocked the conscience. People would look at that, and despite all the various excuses you could use—for example, that the person was the caregiver for the older person and therefore you couldn't then send them to jail, etc., or that they didn't know any better, as in one case where one person was really low-functioning—you still look at it and say that can't be enough. It's almost a licence to commit this crime.
From that observation, without adequate statistics on whether judges might have given a heavier sentence had this provision been in place, at least at this point we have to bring it forward as one possible reason that the sentences are inadequate.