What don't we build those super-prisons on some small deserted island somewhere in the Atlantic ocean?
Maybe that will scare some of them from committing offences?
And I agree the punishments ought to be tougher financially: either they pay a hefty amount (or the parents), or they work for free long enough to compensate.

Michael, Tunbridge Wells, UK

Instead of building new prisons, all new prisoners should share a bed with existing prisoners - Now that will make criminals think twice before committing a crime, especially the homphobic prisoners.

And for extra measures, turn all heating off and the prisoners will have to cuddle up to keep warm.

Jamie, Preston, England

UK FOLLOWS USA . Who is importing the drugs??? Country is falling to bits.. social engineering. I never thought every policy would be making things worse. Government is to make life better not worse. Whats driving the criminal justice system??? Why did we invade AFGHANISTAN

Mark, Gateshead, uk

We could save £1.2 billion by deporting all the foreign prisoners in our jails and thus free the required 10,000 spaces for our own criminals. Instead the government prefers to waste our taxes when they could be better spent on funding our wars.

David Thijm, Stourbridge, UK

Will they REALLY build them or is this another case or 'Government speak' to make them go away - I am sure a government enquiry will reveal they are not really necessary if they stop jailing MPs and party manipulators and change the tariffs for most crimes.

Nigel Ashurst, Leicester, England

The issue of prison overcrowding has been a resounding theme in criminal justice over the past few years. Possible methods of reform, so as to deal with accommodating the ever-increasing prison population, have been debated, fought over and contested at many times. It seems, however, that such measures are not being accepted by the Government, and so the matter, itself, becomes self-perpetuating. I agree with Cameron - one of the reasons for the crisis is the wide spread anxiety and apprehension about constructing them and, arguably, increasing prison capacity is the best way to deal with this situation. We cannot have more lenient custodial sentences, and neither should we willing to cut short prison terms as this undermines widespread public confidence in the system. But, as yet, the Government has only scratched the surface of the planning stage - it provides yet further evidence of a reactionary approach to public affairs that this administration seems to hold. High time to change.

Marcin Roth, London, UK

Send all the ilegal criminals home. Or takea leaf from Shirrir Arapio in New Mexico, who uses tents and baloney sandwiches. Cost for each prosoner - les than a $ a day. Remember they are all ' volunteers '.

Desmond Taylor, Houston, USA Tx

Stop immigration and just watch the prison population fall!

D Case, Newquay,

Is that enough for all the MP, crooked lawyers, judges, social workers etc.

Wow - prison is the place to invest- just like USA.

Lilith Barrett, Dublin, Ireland.

So the money that is needed for the armed forces is to be spent on criminals. Send them to Iraq and put money into the forces

Paul Davis, York, uk

If we stopped using the prisons as a convenient place to put the mentally ill away and forget about them, and instead got them into proper hospitals with actual care and rehabilitation, we wouldn't need extra prison places and there'd probably also be a lot less crime!

It's simple enough to me.

Camilla, Burnley,

I've just had a great idea - why not include a super-casino in each one - they might pay for themselves!!

Great idea no. 2 - sentence all the Cash for Honours participants / proxy loan donors / party workers / recipients to six months in one of the new super-casino-jails - they could be in profit by the end of the year !!!!

MarkS, Leeds,

What is really needed is super stiff punishments instead of the flimsy rubbish that is handed out at the moment.

This country desperately needs to copy the tough zero tolerance policy of Singapore. Only then will there be an effective deterrent on crime. If such a policy had been in place years ago we wouldn't be facing the problems of overcrowding and thus the need to build extra prisons as the crime rate would be so much lower.

Vivek, London, UK

"Three new super-size jails to be built"

I didn't realize that we had so many Labour Party members.

Mohammed, London, UK