Weeds are the criminals in my garden. They appear where they are not wanted and take up space that could be used for flowers. They also divert my time and effort into pulling them up.
How does that relate to crime in our society ? Well, there is too much of it and it’s growing. We need more flowers, but the ground is not fertile and just encourages more weeds. Our justice system is not fit for purpose , nor delivered in a timely way.
Prisons are full and fail to prevent reoffending. Around 25% reoffend, which costs an estimated £18 billion a year. That doesn’t include the ones who don’t get caught!
The answer is not to build more prisons; nor to effectively decriminalise shoplifting; drug-taking; burglary and car theft; nor to shorten sentences; nor to release criminals early. It is to find new ways of helping prisoners back into society with the skill and outlook to lead an honest life.
Easy to say / difficult to do !
Gardening can be hard work and take time and patience. But it is also rewarding 🤡. So let’s get our prisoners outside digging up weeds; growing flowers and planting fruit and vegetables🪴🪴🪴And trees —- lots of trees. 🌳🌳🌲🌳🌲🌲
Later they can move onto housebuilding. More homes for everyone, including them, when they are released. We will build a new skilled workforce of gardeners and construction workers.
As I write this, it all sounds too utopian and unrealistic. But it doesn’t have to be a soft option. Initially the gardening will be done in the prison grounds. Outside prison grounds, high risk prisoners will be fitted with a ball and chain. Later this can be changed to a tracker, but abscond and you will be back in the ball and chain.
After a year of gardening and construction work, prisoners can opt to switch to other work or full time education. All designed to give them a better opportunity when they complete their sentence. They will also be given a release bounty, equivalent to the minimum wage for the period of their incarceration. 50% of the bounty must be used to compensate any victims of their crime.
GrumbleSmiles 
The future? after our, your, my chosen vote on the 4th July 2024, will be interesting tome pesonally. I will need time in the garden, pulling weeds, trimming the bushes, and clipping some of summers lovely flowers,
The flowers I will put into a vase and enjoy the blooms and scents, as they sit on our sieboard in the living room. A Knock at the door, i Trust it will be by a person of honesty and integrity, ready to enjoy a cuppa, and chat about a posible future for both me and the youngr generation. I have experienced a few ‘bumps and rides’ in this life at 80 years,
What I look forward to is a life in a safe place, and security of my earnings to enjoy the last few years of my life? I may make the ‘centuary’ however all I wish is happiness for my family, in a country of forward thinking and empowerment for the individual family to have a happy future.
Our sick and frazzled world as a garden… it’s a good metaphor and just reading through it made my day!
July 4th, celebration day, It reminds me of looking out of my bedroom window as a kid, and looking at the distant view over baildon/IlkeyMOOR, and the smoke rising in the distance as the heather burnt on the moor land! A sad occassion, but heart warming also, as the new heather with its purple blooms and sweet scents could now push through the undergrowth and flouish in the autumn sunlight. Wonderful, the world and nature rebourn,
We have to be careful and considerate for our future, but if we cheerish things we love, and accept when needed with a change of action we can I trust cultivate a more understanding relationshipbetween our selves and nature, We do not have to be ”green with ‘ENVY” or RED with anger!!!!
the rubbish tip is comming into its own now, only swear words, anglo-saxon dialogue, is the brougue of the day in this presentation of political view points as we approach election day.
There is no respect, or courersy for expressing a different opinion, just open ones mouth and blast out all the abuse one can, and the media take great pleasure in recording the alledged accusations.
The sun is shinning the flowers are in full bloom, and all our /my society wish to do is be abusive to one and other, it is a complete night mare? We need a LLLP Candidate to vote for, who is mature and coming of age, all grown up and adult, ready to reap a harvest of ideas to lead this nation, and our western world into a safe and secure future.