Probation cuts (From The Northern Echo)

Probation cuts

10:04am Thursday 31st January 2008

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OFTEN when someone begins a new job they have a period of probation. I was reminded of this fact when contacted recently by employees of the Probation Service, which is currently facing savage funding cuts.

As crime and anti-social behaviour consistently feature in my mailbag as one of the main concerns of constituents, and with adolescent male reoffending rates at more than 80 per cent, could one of our local Labour MPs please explain to me why they think it wise to slash back on Probation Service funding?

I would be also be grateful if the full extent of the cutbacks could be confirmed, as I am sure that readers would be similarly concerned.

The police are already marching in protest at the shoddy way their pay deal has been manipulated by the Government. Now, it looks as though the Probation Service will be similarly demoralised.

If only Gordon Brown could have had a period on probation before being confirmed as Prime Minister, then perhaps he would be a little more careful about how he treats those who are working to keep our streets safe.

James Wharton, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Stockton South.

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