Sometimes it's best not to ask

There's a saying which goes a bit like this...

"If you don't think you'll like the answer, don't ask the question."

Unfortunately the government at times just can't help itself.

Sky.

A new scheme asking for ideas on how to punish young offenders has been forced to reject many suggestions, including floggings and the stocks.

Actors rehearse a school flogging scene in 1959

The Government asked members of the public in the North West to suggest jobs that youngsters could be ordered to carry out as part of their punishment.

In six weeks, 131 ideas were put forward including locking the youngsters in the stocks and pelting them with oranges.

One person suggested public floggings, saying: "They would soon lose all 'street cred' and NEVER re-offend again."

Of course this goes completely against the political class ethos of the criminals not facing the consequences of their actions but rather looking for causes and excuses rather than playing the blame game and dealing with criminal activity in a hard but fair manner.
Mind you there are lots of things that politicians ignore the wishes of the public on.
Hanging... Yes mistakes can be made and the innocent hung, though I'm sure the public only mean those that are bang to rights ie Sutcliffe and Huntley as well as the moors murderers where there isn't a shadow of doubt involved.
The EU. Well out of step with the public there, but as we still tend to elect them, perhaps we only have ourselves to blame.
Same with punishing the guilty, the liberal left tend to look to understanding rather than punishment, until at least they are offended against, then the join the hang em and flog em brigade big time.

Not that I'm for public flogging, but I am for a reasonably robust legal system that can lock away the violent and the habitual criminal rather than the person who can't pay or is no danger to the public. Moving the emphasis of the legal system away from property/theft rights towards personal injury/violence would be a start.