27-11-12, 02:45 AM
(26-11-12, 08:26 PM)Slaninar link Wrote: [quote author=phillywilly link=topic=5374.msg47264#msg47264 date=1353954489]
bbbrown - the whole world has gone soft :'( :'( it is a given fact isnt it that if you knew you would be put on an aircraft carrier and used for target practise ,you would be deterred from doing armed robbery or whatever else these scum bags do
You somehow take it for granted that criminals are being rational. They do fear the punishment, but it's not like they all make calculated career choices when breaking the law. It doesn't work that way.
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Precisely!!
The single largest group of prisoners these days (~50%) are druggies that are mugging/shoplifting/burgling in order to score their next fix, throw in the fact that most violent crime is comitted by people that have been drinking. It shows how little understanding of the situation that the Daily Mail readers have that they think either of these groups take time to consider the possible outcome of their actions.
As does the suggestion to extend sentences for bad behaviour rather than reduce it for good. In order to make someone spend time behind bars it's neccessary to follow the legal process of charging them with an offence, trying & convicting them in a court & finally sentencing them. Therefore if someone is serving a sentence & commits an offence that's not an imprisonable one, you can't extend their sentence. If they do then you have to go through the judicial process & follow the laws of the land to do it, allowing time off for good behaviour sidesteps all this time, effort & expense as they've already been sentenced. It also helps the prison staff too, as it reduces general low level disruptive behaviour which in itself may not be a criminal offence, but can currently be punished by loss of remission.