"Identify the cause of crime and prevent it from happening. Not always the favoured method, but probably the best as it saves the person from having to whack the junkie or from having TV stolen."

I'm sorry but this has been espoused forever and it will never happen. Even if you do find the root cause and fix the problem there will always be someone who decides to commit crimes. I'm sure there are plenty of drug lords who live lifestyles much better than the majority of law-abiding citizens. They are anything but poor but it doesn't stop them from committing crimes.

There are plenty of good people who are living lives in poverty who do not choose a life of crime. Committing a crime is a choice; if you make that choice you should be prepared to suffer the consequences. We are nothing more than animals and we will always behave like animals; some will be doves and some will be vermin.

I guarantee you that if they find and publicly hang the person(s) responsible for this crime it will be a long time before it happens here again.