Are we finally turning a corner?

Don't get me wrong, I'm generally not a 'hang em and flog em' kind of bloke - I don't really see the purpose of locking people away willy nilly if we don't address the social causes of volume crime at the same time...

BUT

I read this article with a bit of optimism:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14486005

Surely we've been too soft on crime in the courts for too long? It's like we've been taking the soft option in dealing with criminals, we've been too indulgent with the flacid and empty excuses they mitigate their behaviour with. 'I was young and foolish', 'I'm on drugs, I'm a victim myself', all that ******** that frankly leaves genuine victims wanting for any sense of justice. Everyone has an excuse and the charges repeatedly get dropped down at court from burglary to theft in a dwelling, or from GBH to ABH, or ABH to common assault, public order charges that should be affray being prosecuted as simply causing the fear of violence etc etc most of the time it is convenient for the cps to accept these excuses in exchange for a swift prosecution, it's convenient for the magistrate or judge to accept them because they're under pressure not to sentence custodial time.

Maybe now there will be some sort of backlash against this soft 'justice' which seems to indulge and encourage career criminals? Maybe after all this lawlessness, and violence, and (sadly this seems to be what counts) financial expense, we can see the merit in building more prisons, making offenders do real time (both to protect society and to rehabilitate in a monitored environment) - and hopefully this will see the end of silly sentence benefits of getting a third off for early guilty pleas, then more for 'good behaviour' and whatever on license etc etc (and of course the silly proposal of 50% off for early guilty pleas).

 

while whats happened hasnt been good, if it makes the powers that be finally sit up and realise we have been 2 soft for way 2 long with these cretins and start punishin them with proper sentences then some good might well have come out of whats been a pretty bad experience

 

Lets start with bankers ,politicians , journalists and corrupt coppers ,fast track them first ....then make some use out of the Falklands and turn it into a Penal colony

 

Weren`t so feckin eager with the bent MPs.

 

But once the expenses fiddles were exposed that was it - We weren't in danger of it escalating up until an MP was brought to court.

They interviewed a kid the other day who'd been rioting. Didn't give a **** if caught. Said as he had no previous, all they would do would give him an ASBO (he laughed).

A firm stance needs to be taken and a message put out to would be rioters, that their actions are likely to result in a stretch inside.

 

I think the expenses fiddles had been escalating for years with new MPs being shown the ropes.

Strong messages need giving out to ALL law breakers.

 

Agreed. What the MPs have got away with is scandalous too. There are instances of MPs claiming Plasma TVs on their 'expenses'. Not a great deal of difference in walking into the shop and putting it under their arm, except of course that you and I are the victim and not comet.

 

If the shameful scenes over the last few days finally give the justice system in this country a backbone then it can only be step in the right direction. For me anyone convicted of looting, violence, etc should be given a custodial sentence - there is no excuse to mitigate the actions of these morons. Getting tough on scroats in this country is long overdue and if this proves to be a watershed moment then it will be the silver lining to a very dark cloud.