Corporal punishment. These thugs only understand violence, lets give them a taste. You stab someone you lose the hand you stabbed with. See how many stabbings there are after the first hands are cut off.

Wouldnt want to be wrongly convicted so.

@aidan your comment worries me I hope you are never in power of anything.

I am afraid, gentlemen, that no matter how severe the punishment, crime will still be with us. The stick part of “carrot and stick” doesn’t seem to work by itself.
D@ithi, you’re going to be filling the prisons with chefs. At least the food might improve.

Oh no did I offend you with my harsh idea for punishment? Wait till you are battered by a group of lads or held up. Then see if your opinion changes.

Answer these questions.

Does the current system work?
Does the current system cost too much?
Does the current system exist now only to support the industry it has created?

Aidan that hasnt worked in countries where they use a similar system.

@aidan – I’ve been held up in work by raiders, I was also robbed once when a good bit younger, still, for some reason I don’t go in for these right wing wet dreams. I don’t know why, maybe because they’re totally unrealistic in this part of the globe, maybe because i think the current system is flawed so a harsher version of the same is hardly going to yield great results. I just do t know. Still, whatever you’re having yourself.

Like Singapore? Assumptions eh.

I never said a harsher version of the same. One relies on internment one relies of physical punishment.
Great the way everyone on here supplies no ideas or possible solutions, and only abuse those no actually put forward any idea.

@aidan – re: suggestions. I hardly think lopping off hands of those found to be guilty in our current system of justice is a logical, rational or reasonable suggestion. The problem, in my own unprofessional opinion, is a societal one. Broken people creating broken children into an environment where those kids don’t see much hope or chance to improve their lot. Some I’m sure are just plain angry at the hand (Pardon the pun) they’ve been dealt. This is not me saying we should give inmates more hugs. But certain people don’t care what the current system does to them because of the life they had/ have. More smart investment on ‘social care’ and programs is needed. It can’t be all stick. Others laugh at the system because they can play it. It’s a deeper problem than just crime and all the one handed criminals in the world won’t fix that.

Good point, and I do agree with the source of the problems, but I think a more discouraging punishment you can’t walk away from in a few months is also needed for current offenders, in my also unprofessional opinion.

Do they chop off hands in Singapore?

Was just thinking that. Depends on the knife I suppose. You’d think the chest area would nearly be a certain fatality.

Stabbed with a pen!!

Hold on a minute there. An ordinary pen? Or a penalli pen?

Think it was just an ordinary bic!

To be fair this is a terrible violent action and there is no excuse or reason for it to happen but having said that their is crime in every city and knife crime is the hardest to control. every house in the country has access to knives. totally agree with above comment with mandatory sentencing for anyone caught carrying a knife.

Sure they’re finding it hard when it comes to gun control also taxi drivers carry knives in their cars for self defence they say. So maybe they should do something about that too, but I agree 5 years mandatory sentence is adequate!

Great ideas to fill the prisons (at 44,000/year per inmate cost) tie up the courts and run up the budget, while moving crime from the big streets to the small ones!

Seamus I’m not being smart, it’s a serious question but could you break that down (or provide a link) for me and tell me how it costs that per prisoner per year.

Tie up the courts for a year then the multiple criminals would be locked up so no need to try them every six weeks. Think of the saving on free legal aid alone.
More importantly think of the innocent victims of these habitual criminals.
Last night on my brothers road 4 cars were set on fire, one of these fires caught a house with two young kids inside, luckily no one was hurt but the animals who done this caused approx €20,000 in damages and thats without the guards and fire service time. They should be locked up for good, if they can’t see how wrong what they did is they should never be set free.

I see where you’re coming from Chris but he said inmate and was just looking for a break down of how that cost works out.

Holy crap, was that Dublin? Must of been a terrifying experience for all involved. Thank fock no one was hurt, that could of been really nasty.

That’s the spirit, tell me how else do you prevent the fights, thefts etc? The 3 strike rule was/is an enormous success in NY, tourism, spending etc sky rocketed after it was introduced, take a hit to gain a lot more.

So is crossing the road with your eyes closed.

Live pretty much in Dublin City for 30+ years and have seen very little and only experienced one thing. Every major city has its problems and crime. Dublin is no different. Might not be the safest city in the world but sure as hell ain’t as bad as people make it out to be. The media putting fear into people as usual. No offence Michelle H that’s not directed at you.