Yuyutsu,
that's no valid explanation why you have compassion for low life if you haven't been hit by them & lost a lot of equipment.
In my case it literally has ruined my life & as far as I am concerned any criminal should have to pay back for the damage caused & also be punished for causing so much harm.
If you believe this shouldn't be expected then you're worse than the low life.

....Nor those who never offended in the first place. Some people find themselves in jail just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or for following their conscience instead of immoral legislation.

Yes Yuyutsu, and that's why I believe jail should be reserved for hardened crimes only.

....<A cheaper and fairer way is to provide the option of exile, sending dangerous offenders to some 3rd-world country, paying its government to receive them and stripping them of their Australian citizenship.>

Yuyutsu This has merit, and perhaps could be funded through foreign aid. Of cause we would help build the prisons to house these crims.

It would save us a fortune due to IR laws for a start and, it would boost the economies of these countries., not to mention act as a serious deterrent towards crime. A win win perhaps.

I knew a man who in the 1970's had worked in jail admin for 30 years. I asked what was the biggest change in prisons that he had seen. He said diet. Previously they were given just enough to eat and not get fat. In the event of any trouble it was so much easier to starve them out of it.
We should not have any gyms and the process should be on knocking these people out of swaggering around thinking how tough they are. Start with uniform and then if they still want to be tough shackle them and attach a permanent taser so if they want to play. ZAP! Hard to strut around with a tazer on your testicles.

Criminals can't be rehabilitated neither through kindness nor common sense. The only language they understand is punishment. They need to be made to work to compensate their victims as much as possible finacially because psychologically the criminals inflicted permanent damage which can never be rectified.
Those who don't agree with the criminals having to compensate their victioms can do it for them. let me know when you're ready & I'll send you my bill.

< It's cheap for them to keep the person under surveillance and if they re-offend, the punishment is likely to involve a painful-death.>

You would be insane to choose exile under such conditions, and insane people cannot give legal consent. So it is catch 22 I'm afraid.

Thanks JBowyer for providing that story. The prison system would undoubtedly be cheaper, safer and more effective were such people listened to.

Dear Fester,

<<You would be insane to choose exile under such conditions, and insane people cannot give legal consent. So it is catch 22 I'm afraid.>>

Sane/rational people can choose to not re-offend!

Dear Individual,

If what you mean by "pay back for the damage" is financial compensation to their victims, then I agree without reservations.

If their assets come short, then the state should top the rest for failing in its duty to protect the victims (what else are states for, anyway?). The compensation funds could come from the reduced prison budget.

I do not agree however that someone else's suffering is in any way paying back or provide any true solace to their victims: they may experience a momentary flare of unhealthy joy, but ultimately it will weigh on their conscience.

Dear Rehctub,

<<Of cause we would help build the prisons to house these crims.>>

Sorry, while I agree with everything else you wrote, this may be your idea but mine did not include them being incarcerated in their new country (unless of course they re-offend there, in which case they would be subject to a different-altogether set of laws). Rather, to give them a last chance to start again while, knowing they cannot ever return, their victims' sleep is not disturbed.