Everyone seems to be talking about the lack of punishment in the UK. There's more to justice than punishment.Englishman.
I know that when I used to work in a remand prison(I now work in a maximum security dispersal) the criminals viewed any punishment dished out by the court that did not involve imprisonment as getting away with it. The Judges are being directed to impose non-custodial sentances where-ever possible so many repeat offenders view being charged with an offence as more of a nuisance than something to worry about.
and that the aburd lawsuits with criminals suing property owners for breaking their legs on windowsills etc. are by FAR the exception rather than the rule.
This is becoming the rule n the UK. Last time counted (about 3 yrs ago) there was over 100 organisations operating in UK prisons to help prisoners with their rights and things like this and only one to help the victims of crime.