People who have fallen into debt with council tax payments are usually the poorest and most vulnerable in our population. Sometimes these debts are accrued because of the highly confusing benefits system that links housing tax benefit to other benefit payments. These people are not criminals in any 'normal' use of the term. Prison is a costly form of punishment that is out of all proportion to the offence, and England is the only UK country that still uses such custodial sentences. Time...