Just watched a programme on TV - about two young offenders

...one in Doncaster, the other in York. Both teenage girls. Drinking, taking drugs, committing crimes of anti-social behaviour, theft, assaults. Living in and out of hostels. The girl from York kept breaching her court order, so in the end, the court just let her go without any penalty at all - despite the fact that the expectation was a custodial sentence. At one point she had been kicked out of every hostel in York and had to go to the Salvation Army for help - she sat in front of the guy from the Probation Service writing '**** DA LAW' in big letters on a piece of paper as he talked to her (very softly) about having to live by the rules if she wanted to get help from the Salvation Army. That girl walked free because, in the end she was more dedicated to her misbehaviour than the courts and the probation service were to her reform.

The girl from Doncaster was smoking crack on camera and ended up back inside when she stopped turning up at probation - she just kept denying offences 'What have I done wrong? Shop lifting isn't even a crime as far as I'm concerned' 'I'm much more than a shop lifter, I've done alsorts of crimes - shop theft is just so petty, isn't it?'. Then she wondered why the department store wouldn't give her a job.

What on earth is going on with the justice system? Both girls when asked said they weren't that concerned about he prospect of going back to prison.

Back in prison, Doncaster girl sat in front of a desk, above which was a private TV with remote control. She had a nice carpet down, clean paintwork, fluffy duvet. Outside the landing was a TV lounge with a large screen TV and big leather couches. Oh yes, that'll teach her. Before going back inside she confided to camera - 'it's not that bad, you go back in every now and then and it gives you change to think about things for a bit takes the pressure off'.