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The Magistrate's Blog (2005-2012)

This blog has migrated to www.magistratesblog.blogspot.co.uk This blog is anonymous, and Bystander's views are his and his alone. Where his views differ from the letter of the law, he will enforce the letter of the law because that is what he has sworn to do. If you think that you can identify a particular case from one of the posts you are wrong. Enough facts are changed to preserve the truth of the tale but to disguise its exact source.

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Location: Near London, United Kingdom

The blog is written by a retired JP, with over 30 years' experience on the Bench.

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Deja Vu Again

From The Times:-
Charles Clarke today unveiled plans for more convicted criminals to serve their sentences in the community.

The Home Secretary was today launching the National Offender Management Scheme (Noms), a five-year strategy which will promote community penalties over imprisonment as punishment for non-violent crime.

The most eye-catching proposal is to force offenders to wear matching T-shirts - reportedly emblazoned with the words "Community Payback" - while carrying out unpaid labour, such as unpaid litter-picking and graffiti clearance.
Point One: there has been a plan to toughen up community punishment every year that I have been on the bench. It is always motivated by a panic about prison numbers. Point Two: If the T-shirts are introduced (which they almost certainly won't be - human rights anyone?) they will become a red-hot fashion item within a very short time. I might even buy one myself.

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