To all you US Americans: you do realize your crime rate is about twice that of the UK even when you do have a more draconian approach to the whole issue. Although granted, the amount of burglaries are half of the UK's rate. But for pretty much all else the US is clearly in the lead, especially for the violent crimes. So it does seem violence just breeds more violence rather than less.
A bit late to the thread, but the above is a TOTAL LIE.
The US has less than half the crime rate of the UK, and that's only if you roll the rates for murder into it, which, as any serious criminologist will tell you, is a special-case crime, since in 95% of cases the victim and assailant know each other.
Eliminating violent crime, the UK has approximately 500% the property crime rate (defined as crimes per 100,000 persons).
For vandalism alone, the UK has over 1,200% the US rate.
You really should check the numbers. I take mine from the FBI's crime rate statistics for 2008 and the UK Home Office crime statistics for 2008. Where, pray tell, did you get yours?
(EDIT)
I'm sorry, I mistyped. The UK has 880% the property crime rate and 1,950% (that's NINETEEN TIMES) the violent crime rate of the US!
I LOL'd