A rush to the mob

The British government is sending a minister, Gerry Sutcliffe, to study the working of "Megan's Law", with the expressed intention of seeing whether an equivalent can be introduced here.

God help us.

Don't get me wrong ... if a child close to me were abused and killed then I too would be baying for someone's blood, would not want whoever was convicted to have a moment's peace for the rest of her/his (hopefully short and miserable) life, and the introduction of something like Megan's Law.

But if our systems of delegated governance have any purpose, it is to mediate between individual pain and wider justice. "Hard cases make bad law", as they say, and personal tragedy is not the best foundation for rational legislation.

When a government is looking for quick approval, laws like this one are a way to still the mob for a while. That's why it was introduced in the US; that's why it's being considered now. I can only hope that something else comes along to distract voter attention before the proposal gets very far.