Another Death

[laurence2]

Yet another death, a woman's body was found today in woodlands after she went out on a date.
what with the knife culture sweeping the country which seems to result in someone dying on a weekly basis, what can be done to alleviate this.
People have called for stiffer sentences, even the death penalty if proven ''beyond reasonable doubt''.

What are your views.

[Gromit]

Crime is no worse than it has ever been. There were still murders when the death penalty was a deterrent. There were also miscarriages of justice which unfortunately depatched innocent people to their maker.

What can be done? - Empty the prisons of non-violent criminals and make them places for people murderers and others who are a danger to the safety and wellbeing of others.

[anotheoldgit]

Although the majority of people call time and time again for the reintroduction of the death penalty, our politicians who we put in power still refuse to listen to the majority.

But then even if our politicians try to introduce crime prevention measures, such as stop & search, longer detention periods before being charged, zero tolerance etc, etc, they are thwarted from doing so, by some minority group or other, and those stupid Civil Liberty laws.

What are our politiicians frightened of, a backlash of riots on the streets by these minority groups? Tough! get even tougher and sort them out, with the water cannons etc. if necessary. I am getting fed-up with this softly soflly approach, it just ain't working.

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit, you state that crime is no worse now than it has ever been.

Perhaps you would care to take the time and view the facts on the site below, pages 15 & 16.

http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/ rp99/rp99-111.pdf

[Gromit]

Good link anotheoldgit

Try this one...

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/public-affairs/pre ss-releases/index.phtml?menu=pressreleasesarch ive&code=RESE-64/97&create_date=16-aug-2004

[anotheoldgit]

Where-as this is also a good link Gromit, you must admit that Dr Taylor's research into the history of crime figures, are only the findings of one man, who has come up with his own theory.

Taking into account the following statements in the article
' Dr Taylor claims ', ' Which he felt ', ' Dr Taylor argues ', and ' Dr Taylor also believes '.

So would not one be presumptuous in assuming that this theory is indeed fact?

[jake-the-peg]

Stiffer sentences and the death penalty always seem to come up with regards to crime.

It ignores a simple truth, most people who commit a crime like this do not think they will be caught.

It therefore will make no difference if you do this, the only thing that will make a difference is if there is a perception (true or otherwise) that they will be caught.

I don't know what you'd guess the detection rate of violent crime is - It stands currently at around 50%.

That surprised me, I'd have thought it was lower and I'll bet I'm not alone.

If you want to see a reduction in violent crime, I think you need to

a) work on getting detection rates up into the 80%

b) work on public perception so that it becomes well known that if you commit a violent crime you're going to get caught.

c) Work on the alcohol issue - about half of violent crimes are alcohol related - they are probably less influenced by deterents in detection or sentence

[youngmafbog]

Locking them up for a good stretch or dispatching to their maker does however prevent repeat offences, there can be no argument to that.

[jake-the-peg]

That's like lopping off part of a cancer - you're not addressing the actual problem

You end up building more prisons to accommdate more and more of the population and the crime rate is unaffected.

Sorcerer's apprentice

[rabbitygirl]

Greetings from Watford. Another day another body. And I mean in the Watford area though I know this woman is not local. We are not strangers to it though we're likely to be no worse that many other areas and I dont want to know comparisons. I'm about a mile or so from this latest discovery which is itself v near a fatal stabbing a few months ago which left a passing friend spattered in blood. Whats to be done? I dont know if I'm the right person to comment as my cousin (a child) was murdered in the Watford area many years ago. (when murder was rarer). The absolute devastation a murder has on a family is impossible to explain. The young man was caught and served, is out now and still in the area. Death penalty? Evidence is not foolproof (inc. DNA I read) as we have all seen and one mistaken execution is not worth it. I certainly dont think the death penlty should return for police who are 'there doing their job' - murder is murder and all victims are surely in the wrong place, wrong time. All we can do is be cautious without becoming so nervous and paranoid that we are afraid to live. The most worrying thing is that so many think life is valueless. Take care.

[Leilapups]

Knife Culture is usually associated with youths is it not - sort of behaviour where young men and women to a lesser degree feel the need to have a knife. Usually, there are some exceptions like the Teacher who tried to break up a fight, the victims are other young people. This wasn't that same sort of attack from my reading of the reports. Therefore the response to prevent this sort of crime may need to be differnt.

[sir.prize]

Have you noticed how often it is announced that the maximum sentence for a a crime is being increased?Surely a better starting point would be to increase the MINMUM sentence and also abolish "good behaviour" concessions. Ten years should mean exactly that - ten years. Ad infinitum.