Oldjohnw wrote:Bonefishblues wrote:Oldjohnw wrote:criminological research has shown for decades that prison is not a deterrent to criminals: being caught is. Only politicians want more and bigger prisons.
I think there's significant public support too.
Less than you imagine. Study after study demonstrate that the public, when given real scenarios, suggest lighter sentences than those actually given whilst assuming that the actual sentence would have been more lenient that it was.
Yet time after time the call is for tough sanctions and locking more people away - presumably, to your point, as long as they themselves don't have to do the deed?