While the right in Texas have started to look at more effective ways of punishing and rehabilitating offenders, Britain’s prison population is now at a record high (Ian Birrell, 21 November).  This comes at huge cost to the tax-payer and should make today’s deficit hawks sit up and take note. Our Community or Custody National Enquiry, chaired by conservative commentator Peter Oborne, found that intensive alternatives to custody are no soft touch and are more effective than short prison sentences at cutting re-offending.  Ian Birrell is right to hope for an outbreak of common sense. Like Texas, Britain too can cut crime, costs and our spiralling prison population.