Prison Numbers are a Record High: What Now?

In this article http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3496505.stm the BBC quotes prison numbers at a record high of 74,543 and the following prisons exceed capacity:

Ashwell; Birmingham; Cardiff; Doncaster; Hull; Lancaster; Leicester; Lincoln
Stafford; Wandsworth; Wormwood Scrubs

What solutions do the government think we should do?

House prisoners in police cells, in Army Barracks, old Air Force Bases or build new prisons located on the water.

What do I think of this option?

We need to send people to prison that really should be in there i.e. Murders, rapists, prolific sex offenders and the most violent of offenders this country has but focus more on rehabilitation instead of dishing out custodial sentences.

What solutions do I think there are?

Capital punishment such as hanging, firing squad, racks, lethal injection, these should be re-introduced back into society for the most prolific of offences.

Corporal punishment; such as public humiliation or put in the stocks for a day.
Community Service should be used more and to benefit local causes or causes that could bring reparation to the individuals caused and also skills to the offender so He can use that for a worthwhile outcome.

Do I think Prison works?

Yes, only for people who cause offence to others, commit fraud, murder, rape and burglary; these people need to be sent to prison so they do not offend further.

The probation service needs to assess people better and offer more counselling, therapy, drugs and medication for people and use agencies to get them on the straight and narrow, never give up on these people and always try and get the best out of them for their life and then to benefit society changing their characters.

Sentencing guidelines need to be carefully thought of and magistrates courts should have more options available prison being the last option for many and those who only need to go should go.

This can send the wrong message; if I do all these crimes I will get off scot free with a community sentence as this can be seen as a soft option.

Do I think taxpayer’s money is best spending putting people in prison?

Yes; for the worst of offenders.
No; the money it costs to keep people in over crowded cells, they are human beings after all and therefore they should be given rehabilitation options and perhaps use the money for more electronic tagging and pay people to monitor people.

My final thought is that in the world we live in it is sad people are in prison and the money if the government spend on giving job seekers more and better preventative options we would not need to build more prisons.

We could say we are talking to a brick wall talking to complicated organisations such as the Government as they never listen apart from to their own ideas!!! What do you all think?