The coalition's vulnerability on crime

Mark Cannon

A thoughtful, intelligent approach to crime (as opposed to a populist, knee-jerking approach au Blair) is to be welcomed. Like much else being done by the new government the approach to crime and to prison in particular is sensible but needs time to achieve positive results.
It is not "soft" to point out that short sentences for relatively minor offences serve little purpose.

First, the criminal is only taken out of circulation for a short period (so the Michael Howard line that prisoners cannot commit crimes while in prison scarcely applies).

Second, there is insufficient time for rehabilitation, which is the way to prevent re-offending. It is odd that the Spectator is fully behind the Iain Duncan-Smith approach to welfare reform and the Tory "broken society" approach, but seems to fall for the Blair balls about crime.

Third, the very fact that so many are caught and sentenced to short prison sentences and then to on to re-offend suggests that short sentences are not an effective deterrent.

But it is important to ensure that there is effective rehabilitation and that sentences in the community involve real punishment.

Nickle

The don't like it up 'em, do they.

Politicians are quite happy to pass laws that mean councils can bug and tap phones without a warrant.

However, when the tables are turned they get all uppity.

JR

I agree with Mark on this. The knee jerk stupidity of Blair and Blunkett ('shoot the prisoners') was something to behold. I see Clarke as someone who's realistic and considers the evidence as opposed to dogmatic. He also seems to work at a macro and not micro level to try and reduce crime whilst cutting the cost to taxpayers. That is leading him to a range of conclusions some which might be termed 'liberal' but by no means all. Some of these I agree with, some not.

If only all Ministers were willing to be so grown up as to treat voters like adults and not reactionary idiots who hate discussion of evidence lest it contradicts their prejudices.

Tiberius

Are you saying that the BBC deliberately reports unfavourably against the Tories, James?

Shame on you!

perdix

We haven't seen the policies yet so everyone, particularly Bliar, should wait and see.

Maggie

Blair and Brown have made tackling crime and putting people in prison difficult by importing tens of thousands of foreign criminals and then passing laws that prevent us sending them home. Other countries now find it easier to give their criminals a one way ticket to the UK rather than deal with criminals themselves.

ollie

another day goes by, and yet more admiration for miliband snr from the speccie. c'mon guys - just admit what we already know.

Clear Memories

Until politicians catch up with the public mood, they will never address this problem. The entire criminal system needs revising and renewing from the Police to the Judiciary, as an entity and not disparate parts with alternate aims, goals and targets.
Time and again, the Police are shown to be unfit for purpose, chasing the wrong targets and steadily, since 1996, they have become an oppressive arm of the State. Scrap the graduate entry and return to a minimum 2 years ‘on the beat’ to put them back in touch with what the public want. If all you ever meet are persecuted motorists, aggrieved burglary victims and drunks, you do not have a true view of society’s needs and wishes. Their job is simple – keep the Queens Peace. And scrap the CPS. Give the role of decision on prosecution back to Chief Constables – but make them elected (only from qualified Officers – see above). I suspect it will be amazing how in touch with the public mood they become when their jobs depend upon their decisions. No more Trafffic Taliban you can be sure.
The worst area is the Judiciary – as it always has been. Out of touch with society, constantly frustrating the wishes of every Parliament in terms of sentencing and creating laws/precedents where none were ever intended. Cull hard and extend the range of cases tried and decided in Magistrates Courts. Juries are now drawn from such a narrow strand of the population as to be ineffective. Twice I’ve been called and twice I’ve avoided it and I suspect I am not alone. Nobody with a private sector job and self-employed can or will get involved. Why should they? You’ll be widely out of pocket and a long, complex case could cost you promotion at the least and possibly your livlihood. So juries consist of the terminally-unemployed, elderly or public sector workers and tend to have an anti-establishment bias. Investigations have shown they do not have the mental abilities (or wishes) to understand and rule on complex cases, especially frauds. Why not extend the Magistrate system and introduce a pool of paid, trained jurors moved around nationally and selected for their skills and abilities? Cost less than the CPS!
Finally, sentencing needs addressing. Knee-jerk or otherwise, there is so much evil in the nation that we have to re-introduce the ultimate sanction. There are ‘people’ who cannot and should not function in society. They wallow in their vileness. We need the return of capital punishment to deal with them. Note the report in the news today of the two thieves killed by a train as they fled from their crime. Read the comments. The only sympathy is for the driver. That’s public opinion.
We need to be able to remove those with no right to be in the UK from the UK when they offend – and to do this, we need only one simple change under the Human Rights legislation – commit a crime and you have no rights other than those society affords you. The French (sadly) are showing the way on this, removing criminals back to their lands of origin, even cancelling awards of citizenship where necessary. Again, if you cannot or will not obey the law of the land, why should you remain in the land?
By these two actions, the prisons will be much emptier and might have time for rehabilitation but that’s not their main function. The simple, proven fact is that criminals locked away cease to be criminals – they can’t commit crime against society. Add capital punishment for all the little thugs, graduated from 10 years upwards (Mummy can have the lash before that age, then the Vicki Pollards might be a little less feckless).
Might work. But we have to try something because what we have sure as hell ain’t building a society worth living in.

Clear Memories

Should read - Freudian slip?

"Add corperal punishment for all the little thugs, graduated from 10 years upwards (Mummy can have the lash before that age, then the Vicki Pollards might be a little less feckless)."