Thread: Wtf

Mr Gadget.. I am afraid that because I am opinionated and can argue, you might believe that I know what the answer is.

An increasing prison population could be a result of a few things.... longer sentences, more criminals per head population, increasing population for the same sentencing levels, or more imprisonable offences...

In the last 2o years, the latter has occurred, population has increased, legislative punishment has gotten tougher, and judges have sentenced more vigorously. They actually are cognisant of societal expectations to some extent.

So its probably combination of all of the above, plus a few other things... the nett effect being fuller prisons. And despite statistical outliers that hit newspapers, the premise that judges are softer has had no evidence presented to justify that argument. Full prisons may suggest that that actually hasn't been the case, at least until they are completely full. So lets see data to show judges are sentencing more lightly......if thats your contention.... because plucking newspaper headlines aint evidence...

Sensibility is not an increasing prison population......