I have been fortunate to travel the World, enabling me to experience first hand the lifestyles of many countries.
However, it isn't strictly necessary to travel. As many a light sleeper will tell you, the BBC World Service, operating 24 hours a day, is a nightly world tour.
Having travelled, both in aircraft and on the BBC's uniquely objective air waves, I can tell you that I am dismayed by the workings of "justice" around our planet.
In countries such as China and Russia, whatever veneer financial success provides, anyone who "annoys" the Authorities can find themselves victimised. Trumped up charges lead to court cases and then directly to jail.
In Russia, one judge has just admitted that pressure from the police meant he had only found two accused not guilty in his entire career. He believes literally hundreds of innocent people have been jailed by his court alone. Evidence is what the police say it is, subject to no tests of authenticity.
Regarding China, peaceful political dissidents frequently find themselves imprisoned on flimsy pretext. To publicly disagree with the Government is often enough to lead to an extended stay in prison.
In the US, there are more than 7 Million people in prison. That is between 1.5% and 2% of the population, compared to a UK figure of 0.2%. Why? Are Americans really less honest than the British?
Then of course there are those bizarre US sentences, where it is not uncommon for someone to be sentenced to 100 years plus in prison "without parole". What is the sense of passing a sentence that cannot possibly be served?
I will not even waste space speculating on the quality of justice in other parts of our planet. The comment "almost non-existent" covers it.
And then there is the UK.
Yes, our justice is not perfect. Sometimes the guilty are found innocent. On other occasions, the opposite is true.
However, what we do have in the UK is a largely independent judiciary and a police force subject to significant supervision by police authorities on which sit representatives of the UK public.
In my view, the British legal system is the finest in the World. That means in turn that you are more likely to get what can be recognised as justice in UK courts.
It is usually claimed that ancient Athens was the cradle of civilisation. However, when it comes to the modern day, the most civilised country in the World is the UK. Our problem is how do we keep it that way?
Our legal system gives us great protection - and we certainly need it. On all sides, the UK is assailed by extremists, political or religious and sometimes a mixture of both. These people often seek to exploit the freedoms available to all who live or visit our country, to undermine the fundamentals of our wonderful society.
THEY MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO DO SO.
All UK nationals must conduct themselves within the law. Failure to do so must lead to severe penalties. Freedom to live does NOT grant a freedom to offend.
For others, because so many people want to live in our country, the severest punishment that can be applied is that of deportation. The message must be clear. Live within our rules or leave.
The doors of the UK and access to British justice should always be open to those who wish to live as we do.
For others, there is "elsewhere". This is more often than not a cold, unwelcoming place where human rights are unavailable.
I know where I prefer to be.
If you don't, remember the exit door is always open.
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