The big crime debate - Reading West

Newsdesk • Published 30 Apr 2010 11:00 2 Comments

See also:

Here the candidates running in Reading West give their views on crime issues in the town and what their party plans to do.

Alok Sharma (Conservative)

Over a million violent crimes were committed last year across the country. This is in addition to 10,000 incidents of anti-social behaviour reported to police every day.

There are over a hundred serious knife offences every day. Yet hardworking and dedicated police officers are having to spend more time on paperwork than on patrol.

Under Gordon Brown, 80,000 prisoners have been released early to ease prison overcrowding and half of all prisoners commit another crime within a year.

Last year, 1,600 young people under the age of 18 were sentenced to prison for the third time or more.

Locally in Reading anti-social behaviour plagues many communities and many areas - we just cannot go on like this. Under a Conservative Government we will:

* reduce the amount of paperwork that the police have to deal with, and get them back on the beat

* make it clear that anyone found guilty of carrying a knife in public can expect to go to prison

* radically overhaul the licensing system to help Councils clamp down on binge drinking

* introduce new powers, including grounding orders, to allow the police to tackle anti-social behaviour

* change the rules to give householders greater protection if they have to defend themselves against intruders

Naz Sarkar (Labour)

When knocking on doors anti-social behaviour and the threat of anti-social behaviour comes up a fair amount.

Under Labour the number of police has risen and crime has fallen but we can't be complacent.

Anybody who tells you they can increase police efficiency and cut red tape with out investing money into police is being fundamentally dishonest. That is why we have said that we will ring fence the police budget.

What people want is visible community policing on the streets, they want to be able to know their police officers' name and a presence around to deal with low level anti-social behaviour as well as serious crime.

Too often a few problem families cause a large number of the problems, we have an intensive strategy to give hard edged support to more families at risk of contributing to crime and anti-social behaviour.

Under Labour we have bought in anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) I have seen first had how these have worked. Everytime an anti-social behaviour order is broken there will be tough sanctions against the parents as well as the child.

Daisy Benson (Lib Dem)

Anti-social behaviour blights the lives of too many people living in Reading West. It is an issue that frequently comes up on the doorstep and people tell me they are fed up with problems in their neighbourhoods not being dealt with effectively by the authorities.

As a result of this widespread disillusionment and dissatisfaction 80% of crime goes unreported. More tough talk and more criminal justice legislation from politicians is not the answer.

What's needed are practical measures to cut crime. Since it came to power in 1997 the Labour government has created more than 4,200 new offences - approximately one for every day ministers have been in office. And yet despite this fear of crime in our area is well above average.

Lib Dems are committed to increasing the number of Police on the beat in by 3,000. The new officers proposed could be expected to make an additional 27,500 arrests and solve more than 24,500 extra crimes each year.

We would fund this by scrapping wasteful and illiberal Identity cards and biometric passports. We would reduce reoffending and prison numbers by introducing community justice panels so that justice was seen to be done locally.

Howard Thomas (Common Sense Party)

Remember Tony Blair's slogan 'tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime'. Our ex PM never did workout that the lack of deterrent is a major cause of crime.

The Common Sense Party suggests a system of 'deterrent sentences' aimed at persistent repeat offenders. On first conviction a 'community sentence' could be given, dependant on the severity of the crime.

Coupled to this would be a suspended sentence of perhaps 6 months, to be served in full , should there be a 2nd conviction within 5 years.

Should this 2nd conviction take place then another suspended sentence of 12 months would then be given.

This suspended sentence would increase with each subsequent conviction rising from 6 months to 12 months, 2 years, 5 years, 10 years. Even the daftest among offenders would eventually grasp the concept!

The flip side is the 'cause of crime'! There would have to be proper treatment for the addictions to alcohol and drugs and for the mentally ill and education for the illiterate.

Only by dealing with the offenders problems will the offenders be able to integrate with normal society.

Committing crime is a choice, choose to offend and collect the sentence.

Adrian Windisch (Green) Endorses Rob White's comments, see http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/election2010/articles/2010/04/30/46223-the-big-crime-debate--reading-east/

This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 29 Apr 10

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

Howard Thomas
Unregistered User
May 1, 00:31
Report comment

Adrian the Green.....For the last 3 weeks all you have said is that you agree with Rob White. If you were elected to parliament, wouldn't you need to have a mind of your own ??

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Howard Thomas
Unregistered User
May 4, 23:37
Report comment

Adrian Windish endorses Rob White's comments !!!

What again Adrian ? This is 3 weeks on the trot that you are playing 'follow my leader'.

Are you not capable of writing something yourself?

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.

Follow @rdgchronicle