I really can't believe people can do sick things like this:

http://www.therugbyobserver.co.uk/2013/02/08/news-Woman-was-raped-and-attacked-with-a-knife-at-her-home-in-terrifying-ordeal-60879.html

You know, as I get older I become far less tolerant of these people. I (sadly) really do believe that some people will never be any good to society and really ought be put out of their (our) misery.

I'm for tough sentencing, but I also think there's room for rehabilitation; not the namby-pamby image of it that seems to be the general cliché, but some way of actually reforming a criminal's character to stop him/her reoffending.

If they are bad enough to warrant being sentenced then, if you commit the crime you do the time. Prisons are fairly full and I guess they have to keep letting people out early to make room for new ones. Some can be redeemed from furthering the criminal activities that probably put them there in the first place but many do not.

Are the changing standards to do with the amount of paperwork and time involved in dealing with some offences? I know it took 6 months after someone tried to kick my door in - a total stranger I might add - to receive a response that amounted to a slap in the face with the letter that started out with "Due to insufficient evidence all charges have been dropped... " - or words to that effect. The individual concerned got away with trying to kick the door in, threatening and abusing me for not opening it. He was also drunk...

So, yes, make the punishment fit the crime.


rebbonk I think that as we get older we are less tolerant of many behaviour standards.

They caught the chap who cut the lead from my bay window-I saw him and called the police.
I heard nothing for ages. On enquiring I found he was known to the police and he'd been let off as he was stressed due to family issues.
Family issues??
Probably the rest are in clink.

... and you are left with the bill to replace the lead?

quite right, and it makes me so angry that we are always victims.
I saw him on my bay one night-well 1 am -- and called the police. I had thought of opening the window and knocking him off but they were locked and he'd have seen me and scarpered, but...I bet if I had done so --I'd have been in trouble.
It took the police 25 minutes or more to get here-I was on the phone all hat time--then they asked me exactly where my road was--again-. they were up by the Griff Inn. 10 minute drive at the most.
The man heard them and rode off on a bike--but he was caught.

Just as you had to foot the bill to replace the lead guess who paid to replace the door? Certainly not the person who tried to kick it in, bent the door hinges and cracked it. I was given a crime reference number so I guess the idea is "Just claim on insurance..." except that there is a danger you lose your no claims bonus so it will cost you even more.

It leaves the victim with a sour taste in the mouth with regard to justice.