In yet another example of how common sense might at last triumph, the grandly-titled Global Commission on Drug Policy has issued a report making it plain that the 'war on drugs' is completely pointless and that as a matter of urgency the problem needs a more imaginative response. This is a high-powered outfit consisting of some extremely influential former world leaders including Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General, George Shultz former US Secretary of State and George Popandreou, former President of Greece. Their report can be found here.
I guess it was no coincidence that publication was on the same day that a group of celebrities published an open letter to the Prime Minister urging drug decriminalisation. Sadly though this was swiftly condemned as 'naive' by the usual suspects, thus once more demonstrating how any debate on drug policy in this country quickly becomes reduced to a very low level of sophistication.
For those interested in knowing how the Ministry of Justice's flagship Payment by Results scheme at HMP Peterborough is progressing, I would suggest they have a look at this first report by the independant research team. Amongst other things, they confirm that allocating payment to the right agency for any improved outcome might be a bit tricky. It will be appreciated that a great deal is riding on this experiment whereby rehabilitation of offenders will be paid for on a results basis funded through Social Impact Bonds. It's a world's first and the government hopes it will be the next 'big idea', I suppose a bit like the Public Private Initiative. Or maybe not given the developing realisation of the true costs associated with that particular wheeze.
In fact this is not a good time to be championing the involvement of the private sector in public services with the news about Southern Cross. I seem to remember it was a Tory government that decided that Local Authorities were very expensive and inefficient at running care homes for the elderly. Much better to allow the private sector to do it more cheaply. As a result in little over 20 years only 3% of residential care is now provided by councils and we're faced with the largest private provider, Southern Cross with a staggering 750 homes, going bust. Why? Because of that other financial innovation, the Private Equity Investor. They bought the lot, sold the real estate and then sold the company making a £billion in the process. I think that's called asset stripping, or a good investment depending on your view, but obviously not care for the elderly.
It's been pointed out to me that Sadiq Khan, the Labour Party spokesperson on Criminal Justice has set up a committee of enquiry consisting of some of the great and good, but conspicuously there is no probation representation.
Finally, something seems to have gone wrong with the appointment of the new Chief Inspector of Probation. According to Jonathan Ledger of NAPO, Diana Fulbrook is no longer the preferred candidate following her recent appearance in front of the Justice Affairs Committee. I wonder if they were as underwhelmed by her performance as I was?
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