tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post5730979963521040326..comments2024-03-29T06:40:58.606+00:00Comments on On Probation Blog: Collateral DamageJim Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-36846904033759970812013-10-09T08:40:15.809+01:002013-10-09T08:40:15.809+01:00Thanks - interestingly we don't know who is su...Thanks - interestingly we don't know who is suing or why.Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-60032790413523728862013-10-09T08:38:56.052+01:002013-10-09T08:38:56.052+01:00http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/1215260/not-for-...http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/1215260/not-for-profits-account-half-expressions-interest-transforming-rehabilitation/Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-79580895823971994362013-10-09T08:36:36.762+01:002013-10-09T08:36:36.762+01:00Thanks Mike will look it up on Parliament tv.Thanks Mike will look it up on Parliament tv.Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-67579686792892032512013-10-09T08:35:00.834+01:002013-10-09T08:35:00.834+01:00A very good piece of investigative journalism from...A very good piece of investigative journalism from the Mirror - 30% of former council housing sold under Margaret Thatchers 'right to buy' now owned by private landlords. Ian Gow's son - who's father was a strong proponent of the Tory plan - now owns 40 flats in London. <br /><br />Shocking and thanks for sharing. Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-60362276506501740162013-10-09T08:26:52.581+01:002013-10-09T08:26:52.581+01:00Nothing new under the sun as they say.
Thanks fo...Nothing new under the sun as they say. <br /><br />Thanks for sharing!Jim Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258147767051200157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-84517135826486451592013-10-08T23:51:58.326+01:002013-10-08T23:51:58.326+01:00CG, you got a 2:1 in history at Oxbridge. Remember...CG, you got a 2:1 in history at Oxbridge. Remember Justinian & Leo?<br /><br />XIV. JUSTICE FOR SALE<br />EVERYTHING was done the wrong way, and of the old customs none remained; a few instances will illustrate, and the rest must be silence, that this book may have an end. In the first place, Justinian, having no natural aptitude toward the imperial dignity, neither assumed the royal manner nor thought it necessary to his prestige. In his accent, in his dress, and in his ideas he was a barbarian. When he wished to issue a decree, he did not give it out through the Quaestor's office, as is usual, but most frequently preferred to announce it himself, in spite of his barbarous accent; or sometimes he had a whole group of his intimates publish it together, so that those who were wronged by the edict did not know which one to complain against.<br />The secretaries who had performed this duty for centuries were no longer trusted with writing the Emperor's secret dispatches: he wrote them himself and practically everything else, too; so that in the few cases where he neglected to give instructions to city magistrates, they did not know where to go for advice concerning their duties. For he let no one in the Roman Empire decide anything independently, but taking everything upon himself with senseless arrogance, gave the verdict in cases before they came to trial, accepting the story of one of the litigants without listening to the other, and then pronounced the argument concluded; swayed not by any law or justice, but openly yielding to base greed. In accepting bribes the Emperor felt no shame, since hunger for wealth had devoured his decency.<br />Under this reign of violence nothing was stable, but the balance of justice revolved in a circle, inclining to whichever side was able to weight it with the heavier amount of gold. Publicly in the Forum, and under the management of palace officials, the selling of court decisions and legislative actions was carried on.<br />I must, however, mention the man who first taught the Emperor to sell his decisions. This was Leo, a native of Cilicia, and devilish eager to enrich himself. This Leo was the prince of flatterers, and apt at insinuating himself into the good will of the ignorant. Gaining the confidence of the Emperor, he turned the tyrant's folly toward the ruin of the people. This man was the first to show Justinian how to exchange justice for money.<br />There was no security in contracts, no law, no oath, no written pledge, no penalty, no nothing: unless money had first been given to Leo and the Emperor. And even buying Leo's support gave no certainty, for Justinian was quite willing to take money from both sides: he felt no guilt at robbing either party, and then, when both trusted him, he would betray one and keep his promise to the other, at random. He saw nothing disgraceful in such double dealing, if only it brought him gain. That is the sort of person Justinian was.<br />________________________________________<br />from The Secret History of Procopius, tr. by Richard Atwater, [1927],<br /><br />Procopius was a Byzantine official and historian best known for his unofficial, gossipy, secret history of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora. Born in Palestine, in Caesarea, Procopius lived from c. A.D. 500 probably to some time after 562.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-3279303138551727752013-10-08T19:29:59.763+01:002013-10-08T19:29:59.763+01:00All of them + victims of crimes committed out of r...All of them + victims of crimes committed out of resentment at poor supervision and possibly worse if goodwill cannot be maintained in the prisons<br /><br />Andrew Hatton<br /><br />PS I hate the short-hand use of the word Offenders for supervisees, clients, parolees prisoners etc., etc.<br /><br />Whilst working in a prison I never used the faux friendship term of 'inmates' and also always avoided use of term HMP - as if she is really involved. Such&such Prison avoids euphemism. I guess some consider me an unrealistic pedant - but it really does matter to me and I believe makes a difference to those we speak with and especially those we supervise.<br /><br />Andrew HattonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-24581760652333795572013-10-08T18:58:58.571+01:002013-10-08T18:58:58.571+01:00Collateral damage ? Offenders, staff and communiti...Collateral damage ? Offenders, staff and communities .....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-49726331050242936532013-10-08T16:51:58.271+01:002013-10-08T16:51:58.271+01:00A new blog from Rob Allen to welcome the world con...A new blog from Rob Allen to welcome the world congress and put matters in context.<br /><br />"The Costs of Failure"<br /><br />http://reformingprisons.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/the-costs-of-failure.html?showComment=1381247346385#c3888032993562154289<br /><br />Andrew HattonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-51141033085551438332013-10-08T15:14:23.598+01:002013-10-08T15:14:23.598+01:00The Independent, The privatisation of prison proba...The Independent, The privatisation of prison probation means the end of rehabilitation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-86320384018976176362013-10-08T11:53:12.409+01:002013-10-08T11:53:12.409+01:00I don't want to change the direction of debate...I don't want to change the direction of debate today but I've found an article I feel I must share. It may interest anyone who has ever wondered "Where will probation be in 30 years time".<br /><br />http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/right-to-buy-housing-shame-third-ex-council-1743338<br /><br />As it says you couldn't make it up!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-74903000638339381702013-10-08T11:27:33.777+01:002013-10-08T11:27:33.777+01:00BBC NEWS:- HMP BLUNDESTON,COURT ACTION OVER PRISON...BBC NEWS:- HMP BLUNDESTON,COURT ACTION OVER PRISON CLOSURE.<br />It appears Chris Grayling is being accused of 'not thinking things through'.<br />Omnishambles? Trimnishambles?<br />Quadrishambles<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-53341595423505767302013-10-08T11:12:57.684+01:002013-10-08T11:12:57.684+01:00Jim,
Having just watched current Nacro CEO Paul M...Jim,<br /><br />Having just watched current Nacro CEO Paul McDowell before v tame JSC as preferred candidate for HMIP Supremo.. was v dispiriting experience.. dull insipid performance .. appears to know v little about probation & trotted out the usual blandishments about outcomes & staff stuck in offices , engaging with communities etc....would like to know who else was in the frame.. JSC may opt to not to recommend to CG?.. recall last years shambles. noticed that Nacro was slated earlier this yr for ' insufficient progress by Ofsted....<br /><br />Maybe Harry F was on the ball when he accused Nacro of having ' gone soft' in offering any criticism of govs penal policy as it was being spoon fed public money....<br /><br />At least Nick H- is gutsy enough to kick MoJ on failings -G4S above.. not convinced that PM will be anything other than MoJ patsy!<br /><br />Regards<br /><br />MikeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-83891245025762566922013-10-08T11:02:05.371+01:002013-10-08T11:02:05.371+01:00Interesting and worth a look article
ThirdSector:...Interesting and worth a look article<br /><br />ThirdSector:-Not-for-profits account for half of interests expressed for Transforming Rehabilitation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-17287612009689705702013-10-08T10:52:58.256+01:002013-10-08T10:52:58.256+01:00Excellent Blog Post from Jim who seems to realise ...Excellent Blog Post from Jim who seems to realise that as inevitably more about probation is at last getting into the media there are ever new readers - considering the issues relating to probation for the first time today.<br /><br />They are very welcome as was the news that Napo in one branch alone have signed up 40+ new members since the Ministry of Justice's muddled consultation began. It is also possible to become an Associate member of Napo whose Annual Meeting starts in Llandudno on Thursday and hopefully will get lots of Media Attention.<br /><br />Also starting today is the first world-wide conference about probation at The Queen Elizabeth II conference centre opposite the Houses of Parliament in London.<br /><br />I realised that some of the collaterally damaged are students currently undergoing training - I saw last evening on Twitter reports of folk who having been accepted for training and therefore as potential probation officers, and then passed the academic part of the course and so qualified - the qualification including satisfactorily completing work as a probation officer - now find they are not being recruited - no doubt Probation Trusts are weary of taking on any folk, who they anticipate they may need to make redundant in just a few months time - I am not sure exactly what the situation is - maybe some with better knowledge will post. I hope those folk join Napo whilst they remain as students - there used to be (and probably still is) a membership category for folk qualified but unemployed.<br /><br />Andrew HattonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-52844609259734673842013-10-08T10:31:38.435+01:002013-10-08T10:31:38.435+01:00G4S have no excuses to fall back on. They have run...G4S have no excuses to fall back on. They have run prisons for many years, and long enough to be aware of what they need to be able to get it right.<br />The real reason Oakwood is in such a shambolic state is that the contractor G4S is cutting to many corners to achieve profit margins for its shareholders. Too few staff, untrained, under paid, and overworked. The staff won't be overly concerned as they will be fully aware that ALDI pay better and provide better working conditions too. It's just a job, not a career! <br />The real reason that drugs are more available then soap is probably that to keep profit margins as high as possible, soap is something that G4S buy very little of making it a scarce commodity.<br />I don't suppose it's worth mentioning, just in case Mr. Grayling is reading, but if G4S can't mannage 1600 offenders in a secure and confined space, then they have no hope of managing thousands with all of society to to 'duck and dive' in.<br />They're failing in all the contracts they have already.<br />Fraud investigations and forensic audits aside. Is it not time to question their abillity to deliver on these lucrative contracts too?scalagousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07962107613759204960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-70964993528012964802013-10-08T09:39:12.347+01:002013-10-08T09:39:12.347+01:00I see there is a damning inspector's report ou...I see there is a damning inspector's report out on HMP Oakwood, managed by G4S, who even try and defend themselves by saying that it's a big prison (1600). Titanic prisons titanic problems. It is a devastating report, saying, amongst other equally damning things, that it's easier to get hold of drugs than soap, that staff were passive and compliant to the point of collusion, levels of self-harm high, violence high, disabilities not supported, staff inexperienced...http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-24432417Netnippernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8578343158425987632.post-24267659833853036332013-10-08T09:11:19.208+01:002013-10-08T09:11:19.208+01:00The contractor 'primes' that will get the ...The contractor 'primes' that will get the TR contracts, are also responsible for the work programme and disabillity assessements. This should be of grave concern.<br />Reducing the number of sick on benifits to claim outcomes can (and is in my opinion) being manipulated at the assessment stage. If a claiment is passed fit for work at assessment stage its an outcome. But in reality its a multible outcome, as it takes about six months for the claiment to appeal, (the work programme has nothing to do with them during this period). If the claiments appeal is successful it costs the primes nothing, the government are liable for the cost. If unsuccessful and the claiment has to sign on then the work programme gets paid to 'feed' the extra mouth so to speak.<br />So very soon, along with the poor, disabled and unemployed the same master will be given the countrys offenders! What oppertunities lay there for primes such as serco? It beggers belief really. And as Jim rightly points out all these contracts are covered by corperate confdentiality.<br />Need to get more offenders off benifits? Then we'll breach more on our TR contract, or manipulate risk and give them back to the NPS.<br />I know this post is rather crude, but I'm trying to say that all these government contracts that Serco or G4S and the likes can interchange and interact in some fashon. It's like a jigsaw puzzle where you can shave the edges of a piece to make it fit any part of the overall puzzle. Who benifits? Only the contractor. And there can be no doubt what-so-ever that any offender caught in the private sector of TR, will find themselves in a world of manipulation, passed from pillar to post until their financial worth has been exhausted and then?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com