Tough on Crime?

I do enjoy the discomfort of politicians who claim that they want to be tough on crime by incarcerating more and more. Especially when they know that locking more and more up does little to reduce crime rates and even less to rehabilitate those inside.
And my cup truly runneth over when it's John Reid whose Home Office budget comes into collision with his recent desire to appease the tabloid press. And the press bites back.