Really Petroc!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Lastly, if I ever see our erstwhile workman in the street, what should I do? Say "Hi"?

Yes. He's done his time, if you enjoyed his company before you knew of his offence encourage his rehabilitation into society.

[Pabmusic]

In almost all cases ....?

Are prisoners required to have contacts in the outside world? There must be some with no outside family or friends.

It boils down to trust, and in most cases the trust is probably justified - which would not be the case in some other parts of the world. However, many of us do not know much about this,
or what procedures are involved.

Lastly, if I ever see our erstwhile workman in the street, what should I do? Say "Hi"? Walk over to the other side? Laugh about how he ripped off the system? Get angry because he ripped the whole of the tax paying society off? Other?

I really can't think of an example. There were some 'inadequates', but the Probation Service tended to have most to do with their outside contacts. Having no contacts would certainly be an 'issue' for the Probation Service to resolve before release (perhaps to some sort of hostel?).

If you see your former work colleague again, you should treat him as you think fit. I will only say that most prisoners are quite ordinary people - prison doesn't make them different (though a little wiser, we hope ).

[DracoM]

And today................Robin Blaze sings..............that's right, esp for R3.....Justin Beiber.

[french frank]

And today................Robin Blaze sings..............that's right, esp for R3.....Justin Beiber.

I looked at a video of this (rather tubby conductor and portly countertenor?) . Sounded silly to me (all the authentic 'wanna's' and 'gonna's' carefully enunciated). I got the general idea in about 20 secs and then turned it off.

Looked again v quickly - it was R. Blaze and not quite as portly as I'd thought.

[amateur51]

Yes. He's done his time, if you enjoyed his company before you knew of his offence encourage his rehabilitation into society.

[Dave2002]

Yes. He's done his time, if you enjoyed his company before you knew of his offence encourage his rehabilitation into society.

MMMmmmm.

Yes, he's "done his time", but you and I have paid for his misdemeanours. Firstly people like him rip the rest of us off - not millions, but over £100k, and then we have to support them while they're in jail, and perhaps their families also, and maybe there is some post-prison support needed too. I don't support revenge or retribution, but I'm not sure that we can write everything off to "doing time". There are consequences.

Incidentally my example was not a colleague, but someone who did some work for us from time to time. However, it would be a shame if following this period he was not able to get work, and then became even more of a burden to the state. It's easy to say that though. How many employers would be happy to take on someone who'd been to prison for something that many would not approve of? It might depend on their crime of course.

Violence? Probably many would be really concerned.
Burglary?
Theft?
Vandalism?
Fraud? Wouldn't get a job in many places.
Sexual abuse? Not good!
Motoring offences? Depends!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Dave, my reply was based on what you said in #6 ("we did actually rather like him") - if he's no longer in prison, he's not going to have committed a serious offense and therefore I wouldn't treat him as a social leper now that he'd finished his period of punishment. Just "saying 'Hi!'" to him may help him as much as anything else - otherwise, he might end up ripping us off again, and we'd have to pay for a longer period of incarceration.

[Serial_Apologist]

Dave, my reply was based on what you said in #6 ("we did actually rather like him") - if he's no longer in prison, he's not going to have committed a serious offense and therefore I wouldn't treat him as a social leper now that he'd finished his period of punishment. Just "saying 'Hi!'" to him may help him as much as anything else - otherwise, he might end up ripping us off again, and we'd have to pay for a longer period of incarceration.

Indeed - for what incentive is there for reforming criminals to continue reforming, if having served their punishment all they ever get is slagged off as untrustworthy?

[amateur51]

Indeed - for what incentive is there for reforming criminals to continue reforming, if having served their punishment all they ever get is slagged off as untrustworthy?

After all "everyone deserves a second chance" (D.Cameron)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

After all "everyone deserves a second chance" (D.Cameron)

I rather think that that's wishful thinking on his part!

[amateur51]

I rather think that that's wishful thinking on his part!

Well it was in reference to Andy Coulson, big pal of Rupert Murdoch, currently awaiting trial

[Dave2002]

Dave, my reply was based on what you said in #6 ("we did actually rather like him") - if he's no longer in prison, he's not going to have committed a serious offense and therefore I wouldn't treat him as a social leper now that he'd finished his period of punishment. Just "saying 'Hi!'" to him may help him as much as anything else - otherwise, he might end up ripping us off again, and we'd have to pay for a longer period of incarceration.

I perhaps wouldn't mind saying "Hi", but what would happen after that would depend ... I would have to think carefully about employing him again. Also, you mention people who have not committed a serious offence, which indicates that you have a different view of what serious is from the judiciary and the police. You're probably not alone. I, for one, would be happy to go out with Chris Huhne - though he probably wouldn't want to. Some might choose to differentiate between "white-collar crime" (nobody got hurt .... ???) and other forms of crime. I'm not sure the criminal justice system always shares the views of the rest of the population, possibly with good reason.