Sir, I refer to your article, Early prison release changes hailed (September 4).
In reality, current legislation already caters for the categories of prisoners mentioned serving full terms via judges, at their own discretion, considering an Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR), where, like a life sentence, a minimum term is handed down that the convicted person has to serve in its entirety in custody.
Furthermore, the prisoner will not automatically be released at the end of this period. Whenever release is granted, the order provides for monitoring and safeguards, as the name suggests, for the lifetime of the convict.
I submit that the proposed ending of early release is materially inferior to this, in that, at the end of a sentence, the convict will be released automatically, irrespective of any risk still posed! Furthermore, legal challenges from those already subject to OLR is inevitable, as they will undoubtedly argue that persons convicted of crimes that are proximate in terms of seriousness, circumstance, and threat level to public safety, are afforded a level of certainty as to release that those subject to OLR are not.
In view of the foregoing, surely the public interest, in terms both of safety and of confidence, is better served by the OLR option that is already at our judges’ disposal, than by the proposed legislation which, whilst appearing to partly honour a 2007 Government promise to end automatic early release, will be clearly inferior in its useful effect.
Our judges already have the necessary tools at their disposal; their willingness to use them will surely serve the public interest much more than the proposed legislation which, inferior in its finite effect, is sure to render any political popularity with the public, short-lived.
Public appetite for retribution must not be allowed to cloud the need for on-going risk management and longer term public safety.
Ron Duncan Rose. Dunblane.
These pundits aren’t needed
Sir, I was intrigued to read a glowing assessment by a columnist in a Scottish Sunday newspaper of football pundit Alan Hansen who is to “hang up his mouth” after the 2014 World Cup.
A friend of mine who is an avid football fan describes Mr Hansenas being “overpaid, overbearing and pretentious” an observation with which many of my fellow football supporter friends would doubtless agree.
On the subject of football punditry in general, on talking with other football fans,a large proportion find the need for pundits on TV unnecessary as what they tell us about the game we have just watched, most knowledgeable fans would have already worked out for themselves.
More football action and less of the “bleeding obvious”, please, on programmes such as Sportscene and Match Of The Day.
Robert T Smith. 30 Braeside Terrace, Aberdeen.
Sir, Rip-off Britain is alive and well. I could not believe it when I heard on the radio recently that postage on Commonwealth Games tickets was £4.50!
How do they get away with it and where is this postage money going to? Presumably it is lining the pockets of the ticket agents and not going directly to the Commonwealth Games organisers.
Ian Stewart. Monifieth.
Jim’s column said it all
Sir, Having read Jim Crumley’s article on September 3, No-one in Syria needs the West’s bombs, I think it should be made compulsory reading for everyone at Westminster, then maybe they would get on with the job they have been elected to do, instead of continually interfering in other countries.
We had no problems with Islamic suicide bombers until George Bush and Tony Blair decided to invade Iraq and then Afghanistan and look at the result of that.
In a sense, people can’t be blamed for retaliating. How would we react if we were being invaded and innocent civilians were being killed with bombs dropped on them by a foreign country?
It’s high time that the western countries stepped back from all these conflicts in the Middle East and left them to sort it out for themselves.
That is something of a forlorn hope, however, as there have been conflicts of one kind or another in that area for years and years.
June Reid. 12 Findhorn Street, Fintry, Dundee.
Very impressed
Sir, Our 90-year-old Mum fell and was taken to Ninewells Hospital where we watched as, in quick succession, she was checked by five specialist doctors and therapists.
She was looked after by a wonderful nurse, Natasha, and every single professional, down to the tea lady, was caring, thoughtful and efficient. We are very impressed.
Thank you to the Ward 14 staff on duty on Friday, September 6, from Mum, Charlotte Taylor, Edzell, and her family.
Margret Smith, Oregon. Elsie Cleary, New York.