Should the rioters be given a prison sentence?

[rov1100]

Although the courts have charged the offenders with a crime no punishment has yet been given. This will take place in bloc by the crown court sometime in the near future.

However if the crimes are to be given prison sentences then hundreds of these criminals will have black marks against them and making it almost impossible to find work in future.

Is there an alternative such as boot camps or compulsory civic duties that will keep their record clear and maybe put them on the straight and narrow and keep our prisons for more deserving criminals?

[bednobs]

public order offences attract quite a high tarrif i think

[sandyRoe]

The BBC news is reporting that one of the first to be charged is a Teaching Assistant. If he's convicted he would lose his job. Punishment enough, I'd say.

[cazzz1975]

how about they give them the job of clearing up the mess they made and deduct a nominal amount from their wages/benefits to repay their debt??

[funnygirl]

It was on the tv this morning that courts are having trouble hearing all these cases. What is the betting they get let off??

[joko]

i suppose the bigger picture here is that although they absolutely deserve to be punished, ruining their futures may just push them further into crime - no job, no money...turning to theft and drugs etc ...so will have a negative affect on society in the long run.

i am not defending them...personally id like to see them all banged up for a period long enough to frighten the carp out of them...but i can see that to imprison everyone involved may not be the best response...
save prison for the more violent ones, the instigators

as stated maybe community service would be better and more shameful and hard - make them rebuild the and fix the things they broke...and even work for the people affected as a kind of dogsbody...

[cazzz1975]

the one guy got one day in prison, but he was released as he had been in a police cell for the 24 hours

[Twenty20]

Perhaps they could do community service AFTER they've been released from prison. Best of both worlds.

[cazzz1975]

I think they should definitely do community service, they need to be faced with the mess they have made

[Barmaid]

Offences under the Public Order Act can attract up to 10 years imprisonment (for the most serious offence of riot). There is then violent disorder, then affray which goes down the scale of seriousness. There are also going to be (undoubtedly) associated charges of assaults, criminal damage and theft.

As well as the seriousness of the crime, the Court has to take into account credit for an early guilty plea, and previous character of the defendant.

Some will undoubtedly get prison sentences - particularly if they have similar previous. Others will potentially only get community sentences.

There are so many factors. However, irrespective of the penalty, if convicted they will have a criminal record which will make obtaining some forms of employment difficult.

[daftgrandad]

I believe,that if found guilty of violent public disorder,they should be given a prison sentence.
However the salient point is,would it be for a decent period of time,so that those
convicted would realise the error of their ways.

[ummmm]

I've read quite a few prison books EDDIE...and they are not the holiday camps the media like to portray.

I know a few people who have been to prison, and luckily for them it's not an experience they want to repeat. Prison isn't the 'norm' for them or the people they hang about with...but these are people who served a few months..

A friend of mine was recently sentenced to 7 years...I don't hold out much hope for him.

[youngmafbog]

A few days alone in a cell woudl be better than nothing. Believe me that is not pleasant.

The problem with our jails are not run tight enough, they should not cost that much and PS3's etc should not be allowed. However that should not be an excuse not to send people there. We should sort them out.

Also, it cannot be beyond the wit of man to secure a prison surely?

[Booldawg]

a good time to strike up deals with countries such as Turkey, Greece that have less crowded prisons. It'd help their economy and no doubt be cheaper for us.

[sandyRoe]

It's corrupt screws that bring the drugs into prisons. Who shall guard the guards?

[R1Geezer]

Hey Booldawg, that's in the Geezer manifesto!

[anotheoldgit]

Considering the carnage they have caused, and all the costs that their rampages have produced, the courts will not dare to issue out easy sentences to these scum.

They should not only be incarcerated for long periods of time, but also instead of just laying around until the next game of pool comes around, they should be shackled and marched to the areas that they have destroyed, and then made to repair some of the damage.

[youngmafbog]

AOG, you can hope the sentences will fit the crime. but how long before a liberal judge rears his/her soft head.

And of course how long before some scum lawyer starts bleating about some poor darling 'ooman rights under the HRA being violated and we pay millions to the rioter.