Perhaps one of the reasons why the Stanley Cup rioters have not yet been charged is because of lack of prison space. Our jails are crowded.
This is the time to think outside the box, indeed outside of B.C.
This is what I suggest:
Identify the rioters, vandals and looters through whatever means possible.
Instead of sending them to prison or giving them light sentences, these people should be drafted into the army and sent overseas for peacekeeping missions.
The advantages of my proposal are as follows:
Firstly, it gets rid of hoodlums from society for a period of time.
Secondly, they will be disciplined in the army, as they have to follow a strict regimen.
Thirdly, by seeing how the other half lives, they will learn to appreciate what they have at home when (and if) they return.
Fourthly, they can vent their frustrations at the enemy, instead of at their fellow citizens.
Fifthly, they will learn valuable skills that can become useful when they return (e.g. CPR, driving, cooking, etc.).
Sixthly, since they are returning veterans, they would be entitled to the benefits that veterans enjoy.
But most importantly, this would be a major deterrent to any future would-be rioter, vandal or hoodlum, as, when they are caught, they would be away from their homes and loved ones for a period of time and would be forced to serve under harsh conditions.
Anything else simply does not make sense.
M. Hajee