Plan B - Become a burglar

[vetran]

Burglar was armed with Machete and they arrested the householder?

Good to hear sense prevailed

[xoggoth]

If burglars get stabbed, who cares? No loss at all. Don't burgle, it's simple enough.

I do totally agree with the liberal left idea that people are not necessarily to blame for what they are, the link between behaviour and upbringing is beyond dispute in my view. Anyone read about what Rose West went through? Desperation, poverty are all factors too. I just think, in the absence of any simple solution, reasons really don't matter. The goal of society should be happiness for the maximum number of people, and that includes protecting those whose ability and behaviour advance society against those who contribute nothing. Flawed individuals who significantly reduce the wellbeing of society, even when the flaws are not their fault, need to be taken out of the equation.

Setting maximum sentences for specific crimes is simplistic. I'd like to see all sentencing based on assessment of probable future net cost to the rest of society. Courts should look beyond the crime in question at the total contributions of the individual. It should be far more relevant than it is that someone has a previously good record, has started a business that helps the economy or has been active in charities or volunteer work or, conversely, has done previous crimes and lived largely on welfare.

Some "Minor" criminals, like serial shoplifters, when you add in all the costs to the victims, police time and court time cost hundreds of thousands a year. Add in the welfare costs of these useless individuals and it would be far cheaper to imprison them pemanently.

On the other hand, some "serious" offenders, a woman who kills a partner who has abused her over a long period, the normally law abiding individual who gets in a fight he didn't look for and kills with a single punch, are not threats to society and deserve lower sentences.

[vetran]

Build some more prisons

They could build a super prison just outside London, all cctv and electric doors to cut running costs.
It can't cost much to have prisoners watched from a central cctv area, food delivered with them locked up and cells designed for hosing down.

Anyone gets cheeky and turn on the sprinklers, sod the idea that they can climb on the roof and throw slates.

Rehabilitation can be via TV programs/video conferencing in the cell earned by good behaviour, limited internet access (OU courses etc).

You could happily have 10,000 inmates in a few square miles and with minimal staffing.

Isolate prisoners from families via glass & warders to get rid of drugs & contraband. Forced detox with methadone for all drug addicts, sod their human rights to be addicted to illegal drugs. Anyone addicted should get treatment before they can go to an open or laxer prison.

Any one who commits pre meditated violence or was risking it e.g. burglary, armed/street robbery gets the high security option for the full term, no messing about.

All the bleeding hearts can watch the cctv to check the prisoners are safe.

Keep the open & older prisons for low risk offenders such as prostitutes,shoplifters, council tax defaulters & Lord Archer. Phase them out slowly using tags.

Just so long as there are good rail / bus links for visitors & staff it would work.

Then flog off the nice prisons in London for conversion to Yuppie flats to pay for it.

Lock people up earlier and spend real money on rehabilitation. 3 strikes & out should mean out for 5 - 10 years then on licence for the rest of your life. You get a second chance but that is about it.

It would stop the ridiculous situation that offenders don't taste jail until they clock up 50 offences.

Spend real money on Youth offenders but with the prospect of punishment if they don't reform. Many kids have poor chances but its their choice to continue with crime.

I bet you would be surprised at how much crime would fall.

It might have stopped this guy getting killed, if he was locked up for his previous offences then he couldn't have threatened some poor householder with a machete.

However they should also bring forward trials, a friend's stepson has been done for receiving a stolen lollipop and lending someone a phone & jacket that turned up at a crime scene(I actually believe that he was in with the wrong crowd, he is a bit silly like that, and may be guilty of something more but that is all they have concrete on him), he breached his bail conditions - had a party and got thrown out of his digs so they locked him up 8 months ago. His trial is next week. OK he is no saint but 8 months without a proper trial seems wrong.