Be a good boy..

Any regular readers of this blog will know that I am against fixed penalty fines on principle, but given that we have them, I cannot see what all the fuss is about regarding the current proposals to write off the fine if the offender keeps a promise not to re-offend for a given length of time - three months or more is suggested. For surely this is exactly the equivalent of the old Magistrates' power to "bind over to keep the peace"? In both cases it means that the offence which has brought them to court, or attracted the fine as the case may be, will be wiped off provided they agree to keep their nose clean for a set length of time.