Named and shamed

Retributive justice has not really made its mark over here, but you can imagine that the public would take to the likes of US district judge Vaughn Walker.

The Recorder magazine in California reports that Judge Walker may recently have become the first federal judge to turn to public shaming when he made a convicted mail thief spend 100 hours standing outside a post office building sporting a sandwich board bearing the words 'I have stolen mail.

This is my punishment'.

He also received two months in prison and three years of supervised release for stealing 42 pieces of mail, including a cheque for $1,500.

The judge said the stigma would emphasise the seriousness of the crime.

Now, what could be done with Jeffrey Archer?