Punishment

 

My son is a criminal defence solicitor, who has dealt with lots of people like your examples. As my wife was a barrister, I’ve also got examples from judges, barristers and lots of other solicitors.

The fact is that deterrents may well work for those with some sort of brain, but they certainly don’t work with the vast majority of those who end up in prison, as they tend to be stupid, alcoholics or drug addicts. For many, the regularity of prison with three square meals a day is actually a better life than they have outside.

It has always been thus. I remember talking to an Assistant Governor of Walton Jail, whilst at Liverpool University in the 60s and he said exactly the same things.

We must completely change our attitude in society and especially to those who are less fortunate than ourselves.

The first thing we must do is educate and train people properly, so that they have a worthwhile place in society. Perhaps, too, we should also educate people, so that they only have children that will be loved and brought up reasonably correctly in a household that knows the difference between right and wrong.

We have difficult choices to make.

But more and greater punishments is an expensive option that doesn’t work.