You're out of touch m'lud

The following letter was sent to the Lord Chief Justice Lord Phillips who has today called for more convicted offenders to be given community service orders or probation instead of prison sentences.


Dear Lord Phillips

I am writing to express my disappointment that you have called for fewer convicted offenders to be imprisoned despite that fact that this is the only sentencing option which has any impact on offender behaviour.

You state that prisons are overcrowded, but the obvious solution is to build more prisons rather than allowing prisoners back onto the streets where they can continue to victimise innocent members of the public.

Our newspapers are awash with stories of violent murders and rapes, whilst “lesser” crimes such as burglary are so prevalent they rarely even make the local papers. One of the prime causes of the breakdown in law and order is that offenders know that they have only a 1 in 20 chance of being convicted, and that if they are convicted their punishment is likely to consist of a few hours a week on a community service order (if they can be bothered to show up) or a half hour chat every week with a probation officer. Meanwhile they are at liberty to continue committing offences and most of them do so.

The few who are imprisoned are unable to carry out offences whilst in prison but of course they know that their sentences will be automatically halved. Many are released before the half way point on a tag. This cavalier attitude towards sentencing has been encouraged by various governments, and senior members of the judiciary.

I would simply like to you know that there growing numbers of people feel that members of your profession are completely out of touch with the violent reality of today’s Britain, and unaccountable to the people whom they serve, and that this is something which must change.

Yours sincerely


David Davies