Thursday 28 March 2013

Being Candid

The Easter Bank Holiday is nearly upon us and I seem to have 'gate fever'. I just can't find the energy or enthusiasm to write much today. Something doesn't feel right about my internet writing experience of late and I think it's because things seem to have changed, and as most of my regular readers will know by now, I don't like change. 

The more I think about it, much of the stimulus for this blog has been sparked by the work of others, but it's drying up for a variety of reasons. I'm seriously missing Gadget. Apart from his often deliberately mischievous writing, his blog provided a vibrant platform for comment and discussion on many topical matters in the field of social and criminal justice policy. I find the silence both deafening and disturbing, knowing as we do that it must have been extinguished by order. 

I hope Bystander will forgive my saying that his blog is just not quite the same as it was in terms of range, frequency and content prior to heavy pressure being applied by Higher Judicial Authority. Many probation commentators and tweeters have been outrageously scared-off on the orders of Chris Grayling and even good old reliable Ben Gunn seems to be loosing interest in blogging since discovering the seductive delights of twitter. 

Even as I'm writing this, I can hear a voice saying that by it's very nature the internet will relentlessly throw up vibrant new talent with interesting things to say and in the process ruthlessly cast aside those that may have had their time. The still relatively-new Guerilla Policy blogsite is a good example of this and it's certainly opened my eyes to interesting stuff being written by lots of people I was blissfully unaware of. 

Part of my problem is I'm finding it very hard indeed to reconcile the new wave of 'openess and transparency' being espoused by government with quite blatant bullying of people who dare to tell stories that are 'off message'. The situation is becoming somewhat surreal I feel with the recent announcement of a legal obligation of 'candour' within the NHS. WTF does that mean exactly?! 

I remember thinking it was barmy when David Cameron announced in Parliament a few months ago that energy companies were going to be forced to limit the number of confusing tariffs on offer and ensure everyone was on the best tariff for them. How is that going to work in a capitalist market economy where the need for profit dictates that some of the people have to be  misled some of the time? Isn't that what advertising and marketing is predicated on under a capitalist system?

What's supposed to happen if this astonishing concept of a 'duty of candour' spreads? Are politicians going to be required to tell the truth? Will the likes of Waitrose have to point out how much cheaper Asda is? Will the hospital consultant have to point out the very poor infection history of their operating theatre? Surely it's all so much cobblers!

Have a good Easter and sign the No10 petition here. It should top 20,000 this weekend.              

8 comments:

  1. Jim; I find your blog a beacon of sanity in an increasingly confusing blitz of diktat from the centre; I and many colleagues turn to you on a regular basis as you echo the thoughts of those of us who remember the horror at the dawning of SNOP and here we are in the last 18 months of the service,keep up the good work

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    1. It's very re-assuring to know that and so thanks for taking the trouble to comment. There is always a lurking concern that you might be the only one thinking a certain way!

      Cheers,

      Jim

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  2. You need to be part of a dialogue, don't you, Jim. Otherwise you feel like you are talking to yourself. I look at your blog every day, mate, several times to see what comments appear. Several people have said to me 'is that you on the Probation Blog'? There are those who are looking to twitter for the answer but the day I feel I can articulate my thoughts about very complex issues in 140 characters (or whatever it is), I think I'll roll over and die. Shallow doesn't do it for me.

    Stick with it, Jim.You ARE the voice of Probation on-line and I applaud you.

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    1. Exactly Rob and it's been disappointing to say the least that the NAPO forum pages get so little use, despite stirling efforts by yourself and a very small number of others.

      As you know I'm still very undecided about twitter, but I have to admit I often pick up on 'leads' as a result of unabashed snooping on selected conversations. As you so rightly say, 140 characters just doesn't enable a high level of meaningful dialogue.

      Thanks for your support and kind words. I think it's more important than ever that I 'stick with it' in view of the current situation.

      I'm always keen to receive ideas, news and information about anything probation-related and from any quarter via the e-mail address to be found on the profile page. I'd welcome 'guest blog' contributions too!

      Cheers,

      Jim

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  3. I am a new recruit to your blog. Yours is a voice I often find resonance with. You counter the official voices and other egomaniacs. I can imagine it must feel like a slog rather than a blog sometimes. It is such a tower of Babel out there and policy and practices don't have to pass any test of enlightenment. We live, as the Chinese saying goes, in interesting times - we need all the chroniclers we can get.

    I think it is also important to exercise our freedom of speech. If you have got it, use it and seek to influence. We never know who we are influencing. There are many in parts of the world who would love to blog away and challenge official lines – but they risk bullets in their heads.

    “When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, 'I am going to produce a work of art.' I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing.” George Orwell – Why I Write

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  4. No, not a slog as I love writing, but it has to be something that I feel is worthwhile. For this reason I've always enjoyed writing court reports. What could be more worthwhile than putting into words what happened, why it happened and what needs to happen, so it doesn't happen again?

    I started writing this blog for my own therapy, but now it's become a personal mission I suppose - filling a space not occupied by anyone else, so far as I can see at the present time.

    You're right - I have no idea who out there is reading it, let alone might be influenced by it, but as long as people like yourself seem to appreciate it, I'll continue.

    Thanks for commenting and welcome along for the ride!

    Cheers,

    Jim

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  5. Jim,

    Add my name to list! Keep banging away & creating that ' skunk' effect from the front line.... raising nasty smells when the apparatchiks decree the destruction of more than a century of noble endeavour in making a positive difference towards a more just & humane CJS...

    The samizdat tradition lives on....& finally a political joke..


    Conversation in a prison:

    "What are you in for?"
    "For laziness. I was at a party and someone told a joke. I went home and thought: Should I inform now, or wait till the morning? In the end, I said to myself, I'll go tomorrow. That night they took me away."

    CG watch this space .. Jim Brown has you well sussed!

    Regards

    Mike


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    1. Mike,

      Thanks and I do appreciate the joke!

      Cheers,

      Jim

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