I did and that is my point entirely, prison is not a deterrent! You saw for youself that some see it as some form of social club when they go back and it’s all hugs and kisses. Would they see it in the same light if they had to wear a startchy, uncomfortable uniform, get out of bed at dawn and perform hard, back breaking labour all day, everyday and no talking while you do so? I think not! And I am refering to the wimmin too!
ok then we are on a slipperey slope …and I would never deny you your opinion. Anyhow I’m off to the benefits office and to get my free house!
I doubt prison as a detterent will ever work across a society… it never did even when conditions were harsh.
We’ve had prisons for thousands of years and yet still crime is pretty high or at stable levels.
Prison is a good quick-fix but we need a fundamental rethink of crime and the way we solve it… the problem is no politician has the balls to say this because always people go up in arms because they think the prison doors will open and there will be anarchy and looting everywhere. We like our comfortable solution where we put ‘bad people’ far away where we don’t have to deal with them. But as a society we do have to deal with
this is a very tricky discussion and there is no proof that any radical new thought will work, but even having open and frank discussions about this will help. Like I always say, disagreeing is healthy and having conversations is even healthier and the only way to get to a best solution
Wow this is the second ‘political’ thread I’m posting on in the last few days… I’ve got to stop this! 
well, thats one way to see it.
the way i watched in horror is that those kids they were looking forward to go back to prison as the only place for them to get help. they recognised nobody on the outside could help them with the same amount of structure and discipline they badly needed. admitted by themselves. that was truly shocking for me to watch.
these kids are so lost, the only way they can see themselves working out as part of our society is through prison. 
You still falling into the cry: “I need help, I can’t do it myself” statements? (You in general).
This is more like: “I’m to f… lazy to go and work in car hand wash to have money for food and some room to stay, and learn from library books to improve or change profession. I rather break into the houses, steal stuff or sell controlled substance, it’s win/win situation, before I get caught I have plenty more than hard working person, after I get caught I get it for free.”
Stop being a “give me” community and start being “hard to earn” community, as all of the world around is.
On subject, constant excuses and loopholes instead of clear cut. Is it this always a case of being like in 2nd World War - “We are safe, we are on island” and when first bomb exploded people woke up from imaginary world of flowers and unicorns. How many people have to lose their jobs to understand that nothing is free NEVER? How many bombs have to kill how many 8th year old to justify zero tolerance to every bullshit which can harm other person policy?
Now imagine the person who you love the most in your entire existence, for some it is girlfriend for some a child for others mother or father. And you have a choice, cut some scum-bag hand to save his/hers life, what would you choose? And please do not cheat!
Now is not that easy to be so nice, politicly correct and bland person. All rules change when it get’s personal, am I right?
R
ps. Andrew, apology if I broke some sort of line, blame it that I grow up somewhere else than UK and may not know the rules.