I can barely believe my ears. I'm listening here (the item starts at 22 minutes, 25 seconds) to a report on the Today programme about a new pilot scheme in Derbyshire for criminals, called Skills Builder. Instead of going on 'traditional' community service, offenders are sent on a skills programme - electrics, plumbing, etc.
Some probabtion chap is saying that becaue the offenders tend not to have connected at school, it's far more useful than usual community service.
What a genius idea: break the law and get free job training. That's not punishment, it's a reward. But then punishment is a dirty word in some parts of the criminal justice system.
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