British society is not broken and the recent spate of horrific murders should not cause an over-reaction from judges, politicians and the public, Jack Straw said on Monday.
Mr Straw, who is in charge of the criminal justice system as Lord Chancellor, said killers such as Stephen Wright, who murdered five prostitutes in Ipswich, and Levi Bellfield, the "bus stop killer" were "deeply disturbed individuals" and not symptomatic of a wider problem.
''Our society is in a much better state of repair than it was 15 to 20 years ago," he said.
Addressing a media conference in London, Mr Straw urged judges not to send greater numbers of criminals to overcrowded jails because of the punitive mood created by these and other recent cases.
"It would be unrealistic to think that sentencers could be completely inured against the coverage of these cases," said Mr Straw.
"But there is a responsibility on politicians and sentencers… not to over-react in such circumstances."
He added: 'Yes the most base elements of human nature have recently been on display, but these must be seen as what they are: the despicable actions of deeply disturbed individuals, not as some would like to point out the manifestation of a 'broken society'."
Mr Straw also called on those working in the criminal justice system to drop the use of confusing jargon.
Probation officers should stop referring to criminals as "clients", he said, adding that such "euphemistic nonsense" created a barrier between them and the community.
