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Golden Voices - 11 July 2008

Josie Loftus
11/ 7/2008

EVERY day last week there was a programme on Channel 4 concerning street crime. Channel 4 established the ‘Street Weapons Commission’ with the task of finding out the truth about the kind of gun and knife crime that is occurring at an alarming rate throughout the streets, towns and cities of our country.

The Commission visited five cities which have suffered some of the worst levels of gun and knife crime of which Manchester was one.

Lesley Pulman who has tirelessly campaigned about crime and disorder was one of a number of people who were invited to sit before the Commission to give evidence and to speak about how crime has affected lives within the community. I accompanied Lesley to the Commission which took place inside Manchester Town Hall and was able to observe what some of the previous invited participants had to offer the Commission by way of alternatives.

Without doubt, there were certain voluntary groups which are pulling out all the stops to try and provide selective choices for all the different preferences our youngsters need in order to detract them from a life of crime. And that’s fine … but its not getting through to the hard core youngsters who are committing such grievous body harm as to cause the ultimate crime of death and the destruction of the victim’s family.

And then it was Lesley’s turn to stand up and speak for the people who hurt and suffer as a result of the mindless acts of violence that seems to take forever if at all to convince the authorities that the victims are being persecuted to the point of no return.

‘What about the victims? What about the witnesses who are petrified of testifying in court about what they have seen? Why is everything centred on the perpetrators whilst the victims and witnesses have to struggle on through every kind of threat, abuse and intimidation?

Civil and human rights campaigners have erred too far in trying to be fair and in doing so they are now being unjust towards the very people who are easy targets for those who are lashing out as a means of becoming a recognisable threat against a society that is boundless and encourages anti social behaviour.

The culmination of the week long commission resulted in a conference on Sunday at the ITN centre in London which was televised at 7pm. The ‘show’ was presented by Jon Snow who was given an audience map of who to go to and suggest a particular topic for a comment. It’s all very much stage managed and controlled which would normally have gone according to plan except that Lesley Pulman spoke up about the plight of victims and witnesses … and believe me Lesley doesn’t take any prisoners. As always she hits the spot exactly where it hurts which proved this when within seconds as the show closed down; other like minded movers and shakers made their way towards her and said how they agreed with everything she said and want to see a fairer and more equal balance where at present; it seems there is none.

Amazingly, what came out of it all was that the majority of people in the auditorium; the movers and shakers; the very people who have experienced extreme crime and who are struggling to survive alongside the pamperedly, groomed perpetrators, all agreed how the ‘experts’ and the ‘panels’ the ‘commissions’ the ‘professionals and the authorities and every other paid guru, haven’t got a clue

Sean Bailey from MY Generation in North Kensington says that offenders should be punished according to the crime they commit. Councillor Lorna Campbell from Lambeth says action about crime should start at ground level within the community and not from within the gilded offices of Government departments. The overwhelming consensus was that: there are not enough police on the streets, sentences need to be tougher with no tariffs, more prison places are needed, emphasis should be centred more on the rights of the victims and witness support is crucial to the eventual outcome of a trial.

The Commission has put forward 27 proposals which in the main offers nothing more than what is already available except the setting up of yet another department to be called the ‘Violence Reduction Unit’ to be based ‘at the heart of government’ and which will be ‘a centre of excellence to reduce crime and disorder’.

It has taken weeks of research, interviews, preparation, money and the gathering together of key people to head the Commission. The report contains words and platitudinous statements we’ve heard hundreds of times before and which without doubt we’ll hear again and again.

The one vital thing that the Commission and the report has missed is any mention of deterrent and until this is addressed and acted upon; crime will continue to flourish and it's God help us all.

On the journey back to Manchester; we were with a family who by today’s standards are very rare indeed.

Ray and Erinma Bell (MBE) from Moss Side told us about how a particular crime against a family friend of theirs prompted them to try and turn around not just the stereo perceptions of black people in Moss Side but also to make them proud of their heritage and culture.

Erinma has been the inspiration behind the setting up of a charity called Carisma which stands for Community Alliance for Renewal in Inner South Manchester Area. After listening to her about how Carisma is uniting the community and is campaigning to change negative stereo perception of black people and vice-versa the equally negative perception that black and white people have about the police; she is like a breath of fresh air amidst the polluted fog of discrimination. Erinma has well earned her MBE and is a national asset to be treasured. CARISMA’s web address is www.peaceweek.co.uk

After reading about the terrible plight of great-grandmother Maisie Jones in last week’s Advertiser, I am astounded that it took two years for the authorities to get something done.

There are so many questions concerning the length of time this situation was allowed to go on that surely there should be an inquiry that would eventually pave the way so that people can expect a positive outcome sooner rather than later. God bless you Maisie, we all hope you soon get over your trauma.

Someone has suggested that the Cuckoo in my clock is possibly hibernating or is in need of some TLC. No … I have not yet tapped on its door and I’m not going to.

It’s funny how powerful and controlling this little Cuckoo has become because so many people are suggesting remedies and my visitors are reluctant to knock on its door just in case they are seen to be a little strange in believing it is. Have a lovely weekend and be safe.