I was born in a suburb of Birmingham and at the end of our street was the Winson Green prison. Occasionally we would hear a slowly tolling bell that indicated another hanging. You didn’t publish my previous letter in regards to the heinous stabbing of the paramedic and a simultaneous one in Darwin as I had not provided my address. Since then there have been multiple stabbings with terrible results. My point is, what is the deterrent? I know, and I suspect many of your readers do. Bring it on so we can all live a little safer.
As an aside to my submission, why must taxpayers be expected to cover the cost of years of imprisonment of those proven to be guilty of their actions?
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
