Prison full = no need for law?

England's prisons are filling up, according to Straits Times today.

While it didn't surprise me, since England can always build more prisons, I was surprised by a comment which was along with the article.

It questioned "whether the government ministers fully appreciated the severity of overcrowded prisons when they made calls for tougher and longer sentences."

O_o

Seriously, O_O.

Just because a prison is maxing it's capacity, you are going to reduce laws? What, snatch-thieves and arsonists do "community service" instead? Prisons are left for those idiots who are stupid enough to commit a really horrible crime, such as murder?

Are they crazy? What kind of lawless country does these people want England to be? Take, for one, Singapore. It's extremely tough laws is one reason why the crime rate is low. True, idiots still commit the crime, but if rape only carries a 1 year prison sentence, I think we'll be seeing a lot more rape cases.

Thing is, the solution isn't to "reduce" the sentence, or to keep it as it is. he government ministers obviously understood the need to enforce a tougher rule because the older ones are not strong enough to deter people (hence overcrowding). In short term, yes, prisons will be emptied "fairly" fast.

However, in long term, what kind of a country will be left? People running around with rifles and shooting into the sky when they want to protest against something?

No. The solution is to build more prisons, tougher prisons, prisons which make everyone think twice before committing a crime. True, these come from taxpayer's money, but just fine those criminals more to cover up the costs, and make them work on the vegetable plantation if it's really necessary. However, substituting the toughness of the law for prison space is a definate no no.

Hope they get that, for the sake of their country.