When my Dad was a policeman in the 50s, & 60s court was a rather different matter to what it is today. By the 70s the miserable changes which wrecked the system were starting to take hold.
Take for example 'a flasher' who had been arrested in flagrante delicto.
He would appear before magistrates at the first opportunity. He would be asked to plead and in the highly likely event of a guilty plea - he was on his way to Lincoln Prison within two hours and would not be getting a half off his sentence for 'good behaviour' in jail. Justice was swift and not guilty cases came to trial at a speed unbelievable today. Justice delayed is justice denied.
Thus it was with all crimes which were real, tangible and unpleasant. Repeat offenders did not avoid prison - and when they arrived they did not have a couple of frames of snooker and and a spell in front of the TV before being locked down.Prison in those days was real. It was not mean - simply disciplined and a tad austere. The warders (as we still called them back then) were in charge and first names NOT the order of the day.
In those days we jailed people for offences wrongly categorised as 'minor' today.
IN THOSE DAYS WE JAILED ONLY A FRACTION OF WHAT WE DO TODAY! Work it out. The reasons are staring all but the liberal lefties right in the face.
(Recidivism was not as common either!)
