Ken Clarke says riots 'legacy of broken penal system' Options

[Phil_D11102]

You gotta love this:

Almost three quarters of those aged over 18 who were charged over the riots had a prior conviction, he added.

Mr Clarke argued that this made his efforts to reform the penal system and cut reoffending even more important.

The government is piloting payment-by-results schemes for private firms who successfully rehabilitate offenders

First question: did those who have a prior conviction actually go to jail, or did they do community service? If they did go the jail, was their time there acutally long enough to try to put them back on the straight and narrow?

Second question: If your not going to prison, what are you going to reform?

Third question: Does the private firm get part payment if reoffender does get arrested for a minor offence?

This is a joke. Those who scoff the idea of putting people into a national service where some sort of discipline and order can be introduced into what seems to be alot of lives will hopefully see that if you change the behaviour while people are young, they will hopefully be better citizens.

[Phil_D11102]

I wonder how many of those that rioted are capable of being network engineers?

With a little training and some desire, anyone can do just about anything.

I didn't know squat about communications and computers when I joined the Air Force, but now I have been working in it for over 30 years.

Again, what is needed is advice, guidance, and the opportunity to prove that they can do something. Even cleaning streets for a year may just give that spark that if they don't buck up, they may end of doing that forever (and in NYC they are some of the highest paid city employees).

Fine, it was costed at around 6 billion a year, so we pay more tax, or we cut something else. And there's no guarantee that all will be well at the end of it.

How much has the riots cost, any ideas yet from insurance to policing to courts and prisons? What happens if it happens again every year. There has got to be a point where we have to either put up or shut up. Do you really think harsher prison sentences on 16 years olds will deter them from further crime, or will the REAL opportunity for a brigher future the way forward?

[Andy Capp]

With a little training and some desire, anyone can do just about anything.

I didn't know squat about communications and computers when I joined the Air Force, but now I have been working in it for over 30 years.

Again, what is needed is advice, guidance, and the opportunity to prove that they can do something. Even cleaning streets for a year may just give that spark that if they don't buck up, they may end of doing that forever (and in NYC they are some of the highest paid city employees).

It worked for you, that isn't to say it will would for everyone else.

How much has the riots cost, any ideas yet from insurance to policing to courts and prisons? What happens if it happens again every year. There has got to be a point where we have to either put up or shut up. Do you really think harsher prison sentences on 16 years olds will deter them from further crime, or will the REAL opportunity for a brigher future the way forward?

Where do we get £6 billion a year from?

[Guest_xjay1337_*]

It worked for you, that isn't to say it will would for everyone else.

That's true, some are more naturally able to grasp topics, certain subjects, etc. Personally I could never really do languages (German, French, sometimes even English) but could get on fine with computers, where as someone else who's been to the same schools as myself, did the same subjects etc, can speak 39437 languages fluently but couldn't find the "Control Panel" on their computer.

But the intent behind the statement is clear, that if you want to, you can be successful. It may be harder for some due to the mentioned genetic differences but if you apply yourself through study, books, hands on, whatever works best, you'll certainly have better things to do than riot on the streets.

If I see someone in their Porsche or whatever, or with their nice house, I think "I'd like one of those, I'll study <this> to get <that qualification> to get me <this payrise>. I won't think, hmm, I'll steal/burn/smash it.