Pant-lander:  I disagree.  Please re-read aginst the exact words of City attorneys where they stated, "prosecuting people is a toothless, fruitless exercise with virtually no consequences."

The problem here is one faced by prosecuting attornies the world over, a lack of Judicial Enforcement.  I have long argued that we have not needed new laws since God wrote the first 10, the only place we ever fail is when cases get to the Judiciary to resolve.  While I might not agree that Sharia law in Islamic countries is the best answer (cutting off hands of shoplifters), I would point out they have almost no shoplifting problem and almost zero recidivism.  Using that as a guide, it seems to indicate our problem is not with the catching and prosecuting but what happens next (i.e. Judges).  As a secondary consideration, it might also just be that jails are just too nice a place to be if longer sentences are not working and need more in the way of punishment than that of a bed and breakfast!