Thursday, January 14, 2010

Take a free shot at ex-cons

You and I are walking down the street and we are set upon by some modern bogeyman, say a drunken hoodie mob. Assume that we both act precisely the same, and receive exactly the same injuries.

We both apply to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for a nice payout. You get a fat cheque. I get laughed at.

Victims of crime who apply for compensation are themselves scrutinised. If you have bad character, such as a criminal record, then the State takes the view that you should receive no compensation if you are attacked.

It is nice to know that, regardless of how long I serve or when my debt is paid, I will never be seen as fit enough to receive the full benefits and protections of the law. As I asked in an earlier post - why should prisoners reform, if we are not permitted to be fully restored to society?

8 comments:

  1. I appreciate your point but the cica work in the basis that he who lives by the sword etc. As time effort and money has been spent in the apprehension, processing and incarceration of criminals all at the taxpayers expense then you should not recieve more of the tax payers money when you are sinned against. It is not true to say that you will never get an award; the cica will reduce an award based upon sentence and date of sentence and it does allow convictions to become spent eventually and such will not count against any application.

    Mike Massen - Gartons Solicitors www.gartonsolicitors.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's the same if you dial 999 to ask for police assistance in an emergency. The call centre operator asks for your date of birth to do a PNC check. Ex-offenders do not get priority responses.

    ReplyDelete
  3. All this in the light of having paid your debt, wiped your slate clean and, er, been rehabilitated.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am disturbed to find out about this law and horrified to find out about the emergency call response to ex-offenders.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Please tell me the same procedure does not apply to requests for help from ambulances and fire fighters?

    ReplyDelete
  6. ...requests from ex-offenders for help from ambulances and fire fighters..

    ReplyDelete
  7. @Mike Massen

    That sound sensible on paper but it only works if the punishment is always just and the rules are never abused.

    Considering the blog we are all following, I'm not really going out on a limb by saying that is very far from the truth.

    The emergency response thing is just wrong.

    It reminds me of Ben's post on compassion and mercy:

    http://prisonerben.blogspot.com/2009/09/compassion-mercy.html

    ReplyDelete
  8. Syncopated eyeball: As I have never had to call either of the other emergency services I don't know.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.