Two thirds of serial criminals dodge jail: Thousands with 15 convictions or more 'let off' with fines or community service

Dodging justice: Thousands of serial criminals are avoiding jail and being given lesser sentences, shocking new figures reveal (posed by models)

Nearly two thirds of criminals avoid jail despite amassing at least 15 convictions, shocking figures show. 
Instead of being put behind bars, more than 62,000 offenders were given lesser punishments, such as community service or a fine, last year.
More than 4,000 walked out of court with only a caution. The figures reveal that serial offenders are less likely to be given a jail sentence today than at any time in the past decade.
And they further raise concerns that career criminals, including  drug dealers and burglars, are getting only a ‘slap on the wrist’.
Tory MP Douglas Carswell said: ‘Many of my constituents are losing faith in the criminal justice system because – as these figures show – even when people have become habitual offenders they are not actually brought to justice.
‘The criminal justice system  simply doesn’t administer what my constituents regard as justice.
‘If the Government wants to claim to be a government that puts victims and the law-abiding first, it urgently and desperately needs to take action on this.’
The figures showed a total of 96,710  criminals sentenced last year for more serious ‘indictable’ offences had 15 or more previous crimes against their name. They included violent muggers, burglars and drug dealers.