Sunday, May 15, 2005

Uniformed offenders

Home Office minister Hazel Blears is considering making young offenders wear uniforms when doing community service so that the wider community is aware that people are being punished. Assuming the uniforms do not have arrows on them or are dayglo orange, I broadly welcome the idea. I am sure the humiliation would ensure certain offenders are less likely to reoffend. However, I doubt that such legislation would be compatible with current European Human Rights legislation so suspect it's a case of banging the drum for harder sentencing knowing full well that it's not achievable.

Rather than preparing floral baskets in Salford, it would be far more useful if they had to remove graffiti on council estates or remove chewing gum from pavements. I recall a story about German POWs planting flower bulbs in a park to enhance the local community in World War 2. The locals were impressed by how hard they worked. Unfortunately, the flowers all had to be dug up when they bloomed as they spelt swear words!!

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