Sports Calendar

Perhaps we could reduce the number of dangerous prisoners in our country by executing some of them. Dickie Beesley, London

We need more prisons, greater consistency in sentencing and parole only for those who present a low risk. There is little evidence that non-custodial sentences prevent re-offending, as many see them as being let off, and community service and supervision orders are poorly managed. I would prefer lengthy custodial sentences for violent crimes and possession of weapons to deter the weapons culture that is evident where I live (14-year-olds have been found with Uzis, AK47s, etc). Also, as the majority of crime is drug linked, legalisation would put drug gangs (and their violence) out of business. Finally, if we build more prisons we will be better able to teach skills and rehabilitate, which is something we are currently failing to do. Darla Danya, SE London

Increase all prison sentences tenfold and have a minimum six to a cell. That should be enough of a deterrent. Result - less crime - less prison sentencing - less overcrowding. Mark Jeffery, Nottingham

You can now get educational courses in prison that you probably could not do outside. I have seen prisoners on television who have televisions and games consoles in their cells. I do agree that rehabilitation is a vital part of the prison service's job, but when the opportunities and facilities open to prisoners are better than those available to other law-abiding parts of the community, prison is hardly going to be a deterrent from committing crimes. Ed Bullen, Reading, Bucks

There is a point at which the offender has to be removed from society and locked away where he can do no further harm. We can either move this point to reflect the capacity of the prisons - and suffer the consequences of allowing criminals to walk our streets who should be behind bars - or we can ensure there is enough prison capacity to meet the requirements. There is sufficient evidence to suggest that we are being too lenient today. The fact is that no one wants to pay for more prisons and we are suffocated by liberal do-gooders with their wishy-washy theories of criminal reform. So law and order in society will continue to deteriorate until we reach a point where we have no alternative - but the damage will have already been done. Keith Downer, London

Stop locking people up for putting poison into their own bodies for a start. The population in prison for just that is quite high. Dan, Hertfordshire

Prison serves three purposes. It is meant to be a deterrent and a punishment as well as an opportunity for rehabilitation. At present, if you go to jail you will have more luxuries, food and access to education than our state schools. It is not hard to serve time in the UK. Therefore there is no deterrent. Anyone who thinks that it is a punishment would be mistaken. And how can you rehabilitate if you have no incentive? Our criminals are better off than a lot of honest decent hard working people that pay the taxes to fund these people. Victims of crime are hit twice. It is time to take a long hard look at Human Rights and who really benefits. The solution? Make prisons unpleasant and hard. Mark Edwards, Ipswich

The idea of giving criminals shorter sentences because "we've run out of room and they're too expensive" makes my blood run cold. This sort of attitude will lead to countless new murders and rapes, etc, because dangerous criminals were let out too early. The solution is to build more prisons and make the prisoners pay for themselves. The Prison Rules currently give the maximum working day as ten hours, but do not give a minimum. A 40-hour working week should be the statutory minimum among able-bodied prisoners. They should be growing their own food, taking care of their prison and doing any contracted work (building, cleaning, farming, road maintainance) that can be set-up. This will make them pay more towards the cost of their upkeep, make them more employable when they leave, get them used to working for a living and, finally, go some way towards making prison less of the ridiculous, dossy, holiday camp it's currently portrayed as. Jeanine Whalley, London

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