I think a big problem is the police/CPS league tables because if the CPS think that taking a criminal to court might cost a lot, or be difficult to win, they just tell you that there is not enough evidence. In the past crimes that would have been prosecuted because there wasn't so much at stake if the Police/CPS lost the case, just aren't even getting to the courts, so loads of people who may have bottled it and pleaded guilty if they had actually been prosecuted are getting away with crime. The standard expected to take a case forward has been raised too high, so people who expect justice are not getting it, and people who commit crimes know that unless they are very stupid, they are unlikely to be prosecuted. I can't remember where I read it, but what affects crime rates, is not length of sentence or severity of the punishment as much as the liklihood of actually being prosecuted. The system is set up all arseways at the moment. If there is a chance that someone actually committed a crime, they should be prosecuted and let the court and jury decide on the facts, not the CPS who bail out far too quickly. I think shorter/community sentences but more frequent prosecutions if there is a suspect are a better way forward.