Prison success

Your leading article (26 August) gave only three reasons why we incarcerate people in prisons (punishment, rehabilitation and deterrence) and opined that by these principles the prison service is failing.

But you omitted the most important reason - namely, the protection of the law-abiding majority from the thugs and other miscreants for the duration of their incarceration - and on that criterion the prison service is a success.

Many would argue that for certain offences and repeat offenders, longer durations would not only increase that success, but would also enable greater success rates in the areas you mention.

JOHN BIRKETT

Horseleys Park

St Andrews