Tackling crime – the speech I didn't get to give on being effective, not vindictive

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I didn’t get called to speak during the Liberal Democrat conference debate on our new crime-fighting policy paper (details on the main party website), but it seems a shame to let my would-have-been speech go to waste – so here it is for the internet audience instead!

The bitter irony of the debates around crime in this country is that so often those policies presented as being tough on crime are also those that not only do the least to cut crime – but actually increase it.

Because often we are faced with this choice: do you wish to be vindictive about past crimes, or effective at avoiding future crimes?

Punishing for the sake of punishing may meet instinctive emotional repugnance at the people who carried out awful acts – but punishment that spirals out of control in a bidding war over who can be toughest just results in more reoffending and more crimes.

Let me explain: imagine before you someone who has committed a crime. Should they be jailed? If so – for how long? And how should they be treated in jail?

In ever-raising stakes bidding world of being tough on crime, the answers are always more jailings, longer sentences, worse conditions.

But what will happen to that person? For the very worst crimes – yes they will be locked up for the rest of their lives. But for the rest – at some point they’ll be back in our communities. And will they reoffend? If they are simply locked up and forgotten – so often the answer will be yes. And it will be scant consolation for their future victims to know they were heavily punished for a crime in the past.

So we need to be smart – not just tough – and be effective – not vindictive.

If your kids did something wrong and you locked them up in a room for a few years – do you think they would come out as develop, well-balanced, better behaved, sorry and repentant for their misdeeds – or would they be sullen, maladjusted and resentful and angry – with no new ways or means to deal with the pressures of life next time something tempted them from the straight and narrow?

The answer is to balance punishment with rehabilitation, to use jail where necessary and appropriate – but not to mindlessly send everyone into the universities of crime for any offence.

So – what is effective?

Community Justice Panels are effective. Chard Liberal Democrats pioneered them. Young people have to face up to the consequences of their actions and then make amends to the community. Guess what – it works! The re-offending rate is just 5%! Proof and pudding. Liberal Democrats want to establish community justice panels in every town in the country.

And then there is restorative justice. That’s where victims and offenders are brought together and the offender apologises to the victim. It does sound wet. But it ain’t wet. It works. Proof and pudding.

I visited Brixton Prison about 18 months ago where a criminal – a serious criminal who had served a couple of decades – had come back to talk to the assembled worthies about what worked. Even for him at that end of the criminal scale – he said being faced with what he had done got through to him in a way that nothing else ever had.

It’s kind of redemption – even for the non-religious. The need to apologise and make amends runs deep.

So – effective not vindictive.

And it’s not just a few future crimes we can prevent – because re-offending rates for people released from prison are shockingly high.

Around six in ten prisoners released are caught committing at least one offence in the subsequent two years.

Amongst those who steal from vehicles, the re-offending rate is around nine out of ten.

So tackle reoffending amongst those who already get into the legal and prison systems – and there’s a huge cut in crime to be had. And of course because they’re already in the systems, we have the advantage of knowing who they are and where they – at least on the days the Home Office hasn’t lost another bundle of prisoner data!

We can’t go back in time and undo a crime a criminal has committed, but if we stop them re-offending – then we have zipped forward in time and stopped a crime before it occurs.

It’s time to get real, stop the posturing, catch the criminals – change their behaviour – and so – cut crime.

Labour supporters don't have to keep playing the "Waiting for Gordon" game

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I’ve got a piece in the latest New Statesman – really addressed at the question, ‘What’s an unhappy Labour supporter to do?’:

The behaviour of much of the Labour Party reminds me of the two main characters in Waiting for Godot. Dump Gordon or get behind Gordon? No matter how many times a deadline has been rolled out for Gordon Brown to turn things round, the malaise limps on. Just as in Samuel Beckett’s play, where Estragon and Vladimir keep on deciding to do nothing – because it’s safer or because something else may yet happen – so Labour carries on, neither happy with matters as they are nor acting to change them. There is, however, a simple way for Labour supporters to break out of this cycle. They should stop worrying about whether or not to change leader and instead think about changing party…

Compare Labour’s current political troubles with those of the Conservatives in the 1980s and 1990s. At that time, the dissidents – most notably Michael Heseltine, post-Westland – had an alternative set of policies. It was most certainly about personalities – but there was also no doubt that a Heseltine government would have had very different trade and industry policies from the Thatcher government. Again during the 1990s, there were real differences of policy at stake in the Conservative Party – and so genuine hope that a change of leader or change of political direction might bring substantive change.

The same cannot be said of the Labour Party in 2008. Take Charles Clarke’s intervention (NS, 8 September). What policy direction change does he really want, or what does his track record suggest? Perhaps a return to losing prisoners rather than losing data about prisoners, one might wickedly suggest. Is there a more substantive answer? I’ve listened to and read his words time and again, and beyond “I don’t like Gordon Brown” I can’t find one.

Labour’s supporters don’t have to play the “Waiting for Gordon” game any longer. The Liberal Democrats are ready and waiting to welcome them.

You can read the full piece here.

TV advertising aimed at children

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It’s a topic I’ve written about before – how the pressures from TV advertising can pressure and commercialise our children’s upbringing – so interesting to see Nick Clegg in today’s Telegraph:

Mr Clegg, who is due to become a father for a third time, said young children were being bombarded by advertising and their innocence needed to be protected.

He said he had become acutely aware of the commercial pressures on children.

“There is a channel of cartoons that my children watch in which they are bombarded by advertising every 15 minutes. I don’t like it.

“I’m increasingly, as a father and politician, thinking we have not got the balance right.”

Mr Clegg said there was a failure to properly “nurture” children in Britain.

He said: “We fail to protect thousands of children, either by not giving them support when they need it, or by almost wilfully pushing them into the criminal justice system.

“I want to live in a society where we nurture and protect that innocence of children, particularly those crucial years where people’s potential, talents and self-confidence really takes shape.”

You can read the full piece here.

Award-winning church shows off vintage quality

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Thanks to a £200,000 lottery grant, Lynne Featherstone MP could yesterday enjoy a cup of tea in the beautiful done-up Garden Room at a local Methodist church.

The local MP was shown around Muswell Hill Methodist Church, which has seen a space completely transformed into a bright and very accessible facility since getting the grant in 2005. The church today offers activities for local people of all ages such as baby-weighing, a mum and baby café and the vintage club.

The Liberal Democrat MP is now encouraging other local community organisations to follow the church’s lead and apply for lottery funding, by visiting www.biglotteryfund.org.uk.

Lynne Featherstone commented:

“This place is just fantastic. The lottery funding has helped the church become a real community space, where people of all ages are welcome.

“The vintage club is one of these real gems; a place where older people can meet and have fun. Later on in the autumn they’ll even have a strictly come dancing session – I’m tempted to join in!”

'The world should be our Oyster' say Liberal Democrats

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Liberal Democrats joined forces in Haringey this week to launch a campaign for residents to be able to use their pay-as-you-go Oyster cards on local trains.

On Wednesday, Lynne Featherstone MP teamed up with local councillors, Liberal Democrat GLA member Caroline Pidgeon and Alexandra by-election candidate Nigel Scott at Alexandra Palace station. Liberal Democrats are campaigning for Transport for London (TfL) and First Capital Connect to extend pay-as-you-go Oyster card travel to Harringay, Hornsey, Alexandra Palace and Bowes Park stations.

Currently pay-as-you-go (PAYG) passengers can only use their Oyster cards south of Finsbury Park. Residents using Harringay, Hornsey, Alexandra Palace and Bowes Park stations have to buy a more expensive ticket at the station or have Oyster card travel passes.

Promises by the organisations involved have failed to materialise as dates to install PAYG machines have come and gone.The postcard responses collected will be presented to officals to demonstrate the level of support locally.

Nigel Scott, Liberal Democrat Alexandra ward by-election candidate, commented:

“Residents want and should have the right to use their pay-as-you-go Oyster cards on the line north of Finsbury Park. It would make travel more flexible for current users and attract more people to use public transport. This will be key part of my campaign to let the people of Alexandra have this right.”

Lynne Featherstone MP added:

“Speaking to people on their commute this morning, it’s clear that they really want Oyster pay-as-you-go on our trains. Its time TfL and First Capital Connect stop dragging their heels and commit to a date.”

Caroline Pidgeon AM, Liberal Democrat Assembly Member, added:

“It’s encouraging we’ve finally heard there’s movements in the right direction on this but what we need now is a commitment on an exact time frame to ensure PAYG is introduced on this line as soon as possible.”

How lottery money is being spent in Muswell Hill

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Mr Bonus is a cheeky chappy – and gorgeous – and 96 years old. I met with the Big Lottery people to visit one of the projects they funded to the tune of £200,000 in Muswell Hill.

First and foremost, therefore, let me say thank you to the Big Lottery – because getting money out of the Government or Haringey Council for anything in Muswell Hill is like blood from a stone. So set in the socialism of the last century – ‘toffs on the hill’ is their attitude – and because overall the area does not rattle the deprivation cage almost nothing comes their way – although the need and the entitlement is there.

Anyway – before I depart on a rant – back to Mr Bonus. The grant was granted to Muswell Hill Methodist Church and was used mainly for a lift and renovations to the North Bank House – which adjoins the Church itself. Not only are the rooms beautiful, with high ceilings and set with windows over-looking beautifully kept gardens and estate – but the lift is big enough for wheelchairs, buggies and lots of people – meaning that all four floors of the North Bank House could be brought into community usage.

And there we found a baby / mother cafe (started and run by mums with babies), toddler groups, tiny groups, the Health Visitor refugees from the closure of Fortis Green Clinics, baby weighing – and the Vintage Club – with whom I spent a very, very pleasant hour. No doubt, Mr Bonus monopolised my time. Having said a few words – I then went to sit in turn at the four tables – where Muswell Hill’s older residents come once every two weeks for tea and a talk or activity.

Reading their program for the next year (including a Strictly Come Dancing) session – they have a fantastic time. I alighted first at the men’s table. Perhaps they stick together through scarcity – or for mutual protection! Mr Bonus came and sat next to me as he is more or less blind. I think he was flirting – or at least I did – until he told me that he lived at the Paddock which I visited only last week.

I said to him – why weren’t you there? He said he didn’t want to miss his meal at the drop-in centre so chose to go there rather than wait for me. So – that puts things in their right order.

Lest you think 96 means old – let me tell you – Mr Bonus not only walk everywhere but is on the button and then some – and campaigning. And you know I love issues.

This is his issue which I will be taking further. Last Friday, there are five elderly residents of The Paddock who go to Weston Park Community Centre for a meal at lunchtime. Haringey Council provides their transport to and from. The transport people rang up and said that they could take them there but could not bring them back – so that anyone who couldn’t get back should not go. These people depend on this meal – so Mr Bonus’ point was twofold. What on earth did Haringey Council expect them to do – just not eat? Why was there no alternative provision of a meal? And obviously, because there wasn’t – they all did go because they needed a meal – and had to pay £6.00 roughly each to get back by cab.

It’s hearing on my travels to hear from the elderly in my constituency all these small in the picture of the world – but huge in individuals lives – issues that add up to what makes life difficult, sometimes unpleasant and upsetting for older people. So that’s why I am on this mission.

Huge gratitude to the lottery for spending their money so wisely. They were delighted too – to see how brilliantly the funds had been used. And full marks to all those at the Methodist Church for all their hard work and commitment. Truly brilliant.

Extending Oyster Pay As You Go

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Started the day campaigning at Alexandra Park Station to bring in Oyster Pay As You Go as soon as possible.

As well as Nigel Scott (our candidate for the by-election in Alexandra ward) and Alexandra Councillors Susan Oatway, Dave Beacham – we also had Caroline Pidgeon who is our Transport Spokesperson on the London Assembly and Denys Robinson Chair of London Region – so it was a big do!

Loads of people took our little petition postcard – so we will be able to keep up pressure on Transport for London (and the Train Operator) who have been a bit tardy with stations north of Finsbury Park in terms of Oyster PAYG. And other Liberal Democrat councillors were out at other stations like Harringay, Hornsey, Bowes Park etc. Onward and upward.

Then visited a delightful supported housing scheme in Wood Green – Raj Kunj – for residents of Asian community. They were so nice and raised lots and lots of issues – chief amongst which is the very short time the lights at the crossing outside their building allows them to get across the main road. Traffic comes whizzing down the main road – very dangerous I think.

Solar panels on the Moravian Church

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Joachim – who is the Minister at the Moravian Church has been so kind. When I got back from Spain, I learned that my best friend’s father had died and the funeral was yesterday – and I had a long-standing commitment to unveil the new solar panels at the Moravian Church at the same time as the funeral. I managed to move all my other engagements but was really worried about letting people down at the Moravian. However, when my office rang Joachim to explain that I had to go to a funeral and offered a stand-in – Joachim simply rearranged the whole event to the next day! Very kind.

And so today it took place – with lots of people come to hear how this marvellous project came to be. The Moravian Church (Priory Avenue) now will supply its own electricity from the new solar panels and send extra electricity to the National Grid. Joachim is the driving force who found the company to install it and raised the funds from both a Government scheme – £20,000 – and EDF (Energy) – £15,000 – with the community raising £8,000 themselves. And now it’s in and the Church will save huge amounts of money – not to mention helping save the planet.

This is really a case of the Church practising what it preaches and leading by example in the community on stewardship of our planet. Whether we believe in the Creation or not – we all live in an amazing world and we all need to do our bit to reduce our carbon footprint. Fantastically well done!