>Take a look at any "tough on crime" or "conservative" politician, and the majority of then will say stuff to that regard.

It's not just the conservatives. HN will happily argue for disproportionate punishments for "risk of life and limb" type crimes in which there was no criminal intent and nobody was harmed. "Anti-social" crimes or "crimes that make a mockery of the system" (turnstyle jumping, vandalism of public property, stuff like that) are a pretty close second.