Letter: Dishonest punishment
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: Michael Howard and his party proclaim 'traditional values'. But surely wisdom, honesty and humanity are chief among them. And where is the wisdom of locking up foolish young offenders, 80 out of every 100 of whom we shall later confront as hardened criminals? And how much honesty has there been about the motives for taking such a step - how much honest admission of what we know to be the failure of such measures in the past?
As for humanity, that must include real and effective concern for the victims of crime but surely also the strongest possible resistance to giving up for lost considerable numbers of our own young people, many of whom have already drawn the short straw. If an understandable longing for the power to punish is to be given expression, let it at least not be done fraudulently, in the name of traditional values.
Yours faithfully,
PHILIPPA FOOT
Oxford
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments