[Xaccers]

Actually, speaking from experience of youth crime, it generally takes several appearances before a custodial sentance is passed (I'm excluding suspended sentances from custodial).
That this is the case, and that prisons are overcrowded doesn't so much show that courts are trigger happy when it comes to custodial sentances, just that non-custodial sentances are just as ineffective at preventing repeat offences, however custodial sentances can delay the repeat.