Ten petty criminals a week are being given a “clip round the ear” instead of an official charge, it has been revealed.Really? Whoopee! I hope it’s with a piece of two-by-four…
Oh:
Essex Police introduced “neighbourhood resolutions” in May.And that equates to a ‘clip around the ear’ in whose universe?
The scheme sees offenders apologise, pay for damage, have a face-to-face meeting with their victim or do voluntary work instead of being charged.
Step forward Chief Inspector Andy Fusher:
Colchester district commander, Chief Insp Andy Fusher, said…“Essentially, these resolutions have given us our discretion back again.In other words, you can now skip all that irritating, aggravating work that you used to do, so long as you can persuade people that this is a better way forward, right?
“They are like giving someone a metaphorical clip round the ear.
“They have given us an ability to deal with a complaint swiftly and to deal with someone’s issue much quicker than going through the court process.”
A better way forward for whom?
“We don’t want to criminalise people for one small act of stupidity or when it is inappropriate.And they probably feel they’ve no choice…
“This scheme only works in conjunction with the victim though – they have to agree and think it is the best way to proceed.”
Neighbourhood resolutions, which were piloted in the West Midlands, Lancashire and Surrey, can be arranged within 45 minutes, thus saving police time.Great! We all know how usefully some of them use that time , don’t we…?
3 comments:
And that equates to a ‘clip around the ear’ in whose universe?
Possibly mine. When some little poppets kicked down my garden wall, and I thought I knew who it was, I went after their head teacher and demanded that they come back and rebuild it, so they could learn some useful bricklaying skills to go with the demolition ones they already had.
What was the most annoying thing was the Head teacher's reaction, which was along the lines of "well, I don't think bricklaying or reparations is suitable for our children". It wasn't culpability which bothered him (assuming I could prove the identities) but that this mere physical work was somehow beneath his exalted charges. He seemed to want to identify and expell them (it is an independent school) but what good would that do? It's a garden wall, not something I want a stupid boy criminalized and excluded for. I just want it fixed and for them not to do it again.
So yes, when I saw a group of swaggering young men being marched along in their day-glo community pay-back vests about three months ago, I thought: good, let them work up a sweat.
It's not for every situation, but saying sorry and making amends could work in some of them.
Another good way to save police time is to always lock up the scumbags on a first offence, no parole, no getting off scot free. That gets them out of the neighbourhood for a while so they dont do it again and waste all that valuable police time.
When they come out, if they reoffend, lock them up again - for a bit longer this time, no parole. Again no more crime while they're inside thus saving all even more valuable police time.
You can see a pattern here, can't you?
And with all that valuable time the police go after all the scumbags not inside...and arrest them as well. Lock them up and save even more time.
It's not rocket science, even a politician like Ken "Hush Puppy" Clarke ought to be able to grasp the essentials and act on them.
"What was the most annoying thing was the Head teacher's reaction, which was along the lines of "well, I don't think bricklaying or reparations is suitable for our children". It wasn't culpability which bothered him (assuming I could prove the identities) but that this mere physical work was somehow beneath his exalted charges. He seemed to want to identify and expell them..."
Good grief!
Perhaps the thought of having to supervise the little darlings was too much for him?
"It's not rocket science, even a politician like Ken "Hush Puppy" Clarke ought to be able to grasp the essentials and act on them."
You'd think so, but I'm not impressed with what I've seen so far.
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