Mr. Obama offered a four-sentence message of support after Mr. Healy attended a White House reception for the Irish prime minister in March.

WSJ: Jersey City Election Highlights Obama's Local Effect

Given the high reoffending rate, and the fact that many leave prison jobless, homeless, addicted and without family support or probation supervision, a community sentence that involves more positive handling of their offending and addiction must be a good thing.

BBC: News - Today - The search for justice

On the day Mr Williamson was given a suspended prison sentence, Mrs Machin wrote him a letter of support, then hugged him outside court.

BBC: Bournemouth widow hugs driver who killed her husband

Nevertheless, he is standing on a law-and-order platform: he has gathered support by attacking a government proposal to cut the maximum prison sentence for serious crimes from 30 to 20 years, an ill-timed measure given Sao Paulo's rising murder rate.

ECONOMIST: Brazil

Its report builds on research last year which claims the public may support reforming the penalty for murder to make life imprisonment the maximum sentence rather than mandatory.

BBC: Murder: Life sentence unjust, says lawyers' group

Its report builds on research published last year which claimed the public may support reforming the penalty for murder to make life imprisonment the maximum sentence rather than mandatory.

BBC: Lord Chief Justice urges free vote on murder reform

Prosecutors can believe, or state, all they want that a long sentence for Jiau is a message for Wall Street, but there is no support that long sentences deter other people from committing crimes.

FORBES: In Winifred Jiau Prison Sentence, What Is The Message For Wall Street?

The government proposes that, in future, if an MP receives a custodial sentence of 12 months or less, their constituents will be petitioned - and if 10% support the idea there will be a by-election.

BBC: Ditch plans for power to sack MPs, government urged