The head prosecutor in England & Wales is the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the last postholder was interviewed by BBC Radio recently, he made some considered points: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programme...on/8339958.stm - which has a podcast link.

One was:
a need to be seen to be doing something fuelled a lot of the government's criminal and terror legislation during his time as DPP.
davidbfpo