a swansong 4 europe

Why not go the whole hog and bar anyone with a criminal record from even VOTING for, never mind STANDING as, a candidate. That would probably wipe out about 1 in 8 of the entire male population of the UK, never mind the female population.

Why should it matter if you were convicted of a crime X years ago? If the judicial/penal system has any purpose, then once your fine or time is done, you then become a "free" man (or woman), therefore why be further punished and penalised for the rest of your life? I do not agree with the declaration of past actions; if they are THAT important, lock 'em up and throw away the key, otherwise let them get on with their lives.

Ea of Dune

I have to say I thought that was the point of people going to prison i.e. it was their punishment, once they have done their time then that's it. Obviously rapists and murderers are a different case, but then their punishment usually involves terms and conditions after they do their time inside anyway.

This country has become a joke. Arresting people for allegedly dropping apple cores and what have you, makes a mockery of the whole legal process.
Snoopers databases and what have you, we are going to end up like the US before long in this regard.

Ea of dune

a swansong 4 europe

Again though, once a rapist or murderer has done their "time", why should there be further restrictions on their freedom once they are supposedly free and having served their punishment? I really cannot understand the logic here behind this? if being a rapist or murderer is bad, then the punishment should fit the crime - yes? If so, then why let them 'free' if they are dangerous to the public, the two things simply don't add up?

Either keep them locked up, or extend the time served, in either case once you become free, there should be no excuse to have to "declare" your punishment, otherwise the punishment simply becomes a life sentence outside of prison or the courts.

Ea of Dune

I thought part of the punishment was the restrictions of freedom once you have left prison for a certain amount of time? We aren't talking about somebody who has kniakced a mars bar or urinated in the street here. Rapists etc. I prsume are monitored to make sure they don't do it again?

I agree though with your keep em locked up coment; rapists and multiple sex offenders, child molesters etc. should be locked up for life. Make the prisons grow some of their own food as well so they get hard labour picking carrots and cabbages to eat as well.

Ea of dune

Raymond Finch

The point of the CRB check is not to stop people with a record standing. It is to inform those who make the decision as to whether they are a fit and proper person to stand.
Surely this is reasonable?

arden forester

If one has a CR check, gets doubled up with a known crook, then has the devil's own business trying to undo the damage, will it be a case of mud sticks?

Plenty of cases where it has happened already. Of course, no proper apology from the checkers themselves!

__________________
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www.westminster-whispers.blogspot.com

a swansong 4 europe

The restriction of freedom once one leaves a prison is surely NOT a part of our basic legal process, that is why a crime has a particular punishment. Could a fine for not having a tv license, once paid, be further imposed later by additional non-stated punishments imposed later on in life, such as restrictions on owning televisions or buying related equipment? I would imagine that only a judge could provide those punishments and that they would have to be stated as such on sentencing?

A punishment should fit the crime, simple as that. Once the punishment has ben paid, subject to it being sufficiently imposed in the first place, an individual must have the right to be free without restrictions placed on past events.

As for someone having the "right" to know via the CRB, why? Again, if the crime was that important, why let them out in the first place? If it is a minor crime, the pnishment should fit the crime in the FIRST instance and not be further imposed indeffinately. No one "needs" to know, and should not be considered relevent. It belongs in the realm of those societies that feel the need to monitor their citizenry for their past actions. Pathetic really.

And you lot call the BNP fascist!

Ea of Dune

I think you'll find it is. For example if somebody is given a life sentance if they are released say after 17 years, they usually have restrictions on their freedom placed for the remaining years in their sentance.
Also Peadophiles I believe would have the restriction that they can not work with children once released from prison.

Anyway I do agree with you once you have done your time then that should be it. Child molesters though are a difficult case in my opinion, would you really want a Gary Glitter type hanging around your kids when he got out of the slammer? Tough one isn't it.
Maybe child molesters should spend the rest of their life behind bars. I think that would be far better then releasing them back into the community.

I think the current CRB check and so on and so forth is a joke though and thoroughly unwarrented. It's all a big part of the snooper state we seem to have at the moment.

Ea of dune

a swansong 4 europe

Again, though, is not the placing of restrictions on one's freedom something that has to happen at the time of sentencing by the judge, not something that is presumed to exist after completion of whatever statutory impositions?

I understand where you are coming from but not the assumption attached to it.

As for childmolesters etc, well, the assumption that I should have the right to know if someone is a raving under-age shirt-lifter is beside the point; they should NOT be allowed out - simple. That way I have no need to be worried and removes the basic premise for the state to justify personal data records and the means by which they are disseminated to those that "need to know".

I know of people that are required to apply for enhanced CRB to fill a position within a public organisation and they are often - OFTEN, taken on prior to to receipt of any such records being released and that I would say this is down to pure unwarranted sloppiness by public bodies, just like the spread of germs in hospitals due to bad hygiene and private neglect.

gawain

Whilst I have strong sympathies with ranter - I think prison overcrowding is bad enough already without packing Broadmoor with sad types like myself.

However I am prepared to join Forester in his proposed society of Enhanced Criminals.