Tough on some crimes?

Last week, the "Sun" newspaper, invited us to be concerned at the soft sentences handed out to those convicted of assault on children.

The maximum punishment for rape or attempted rape of a child under 13 is life.

What happens in practice?

Annually about 3,500 escape a court appearance, and receive a 'mere' police caution.

Of those who are prosecuted and convicted about one in twelve walks free from court. In the two years to December 2007 ten people in this category left court with a suspended or community sentence.

These figures were from a freedom of information request, and invoked protests from politicians like Dominic Grieve, Shadow Justice Secretary, and from various bodies concerned with the welfare of children.

In Grieve's words, "It is hard to think of any circumstances where an adult who rapes a young child should avoid jail." So why is this happening?

There is pressure on prison places, admittedly, but a prison place and assessment of risk is surely a minimum we should expect on conviction of these crimes, and treatment where possible.