"Crime is something to be prevented."
My point exactly
You prevent the main reason for crime by removing poverty - not going to happen in our lifetimes
The threat of being caught has about the same effect as Capital punishment - in fact the opposite - those who need to steal become better at it
Becoming efficient at catching criminals increase the need for more prisons
Society needs to examine alternatives to prison - is locking up criminals together where they can teach each other their various skills really the best way to handle it?
Harden discipline and you create resentment
Bit of Catch 22 really
The "three strikes" rule is probably the most barbaric pices of legislation ever dreamed up - life for picking pockets - come-on!
I have little doubt that, in a hundred years time people will regard todays practices as they do the stock and branding
Jim Carroll