Plan B Forum

FIVE young criminals enjoyed a day trip to Alton Towers at taxpayers’ expense as part of an ‘intensive supervision programme’.

The group, which included a knife-wielding robber and a teenager who had mugged an elderly man, spent a day at the theme park with a youth offending team. Magistrates had agreed to relax one offender’s electronic tag conditions after organisers apparently claimed he was going on a ‘group activity’ with ‘educational elements’. In reality, the youths spent several hours on rollercoasters such as Nemesis and Oblivion at the Staffordshire attraction.

Wakefield Council admitted it was ‘inappropriate’ and has started an investigation into who authorised the trip. Last night, critics branded the visit an outrageous use of public funds. Robert Oxley, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘This is an affront to taxpayers and the victims of crime alike. It beggars belief that anyone in the council thought this would be an appropriate thing to do. ‘Taxpayers expect to see their money spent on locking up criminals, not on letting violent thugs ride a rollercoaster.

‘Many families who are cutting back on life’s little luxuries will be left gobsmacked at the news that they have paid for criminals to ride the amusements.’ The five criminals were escorted by four members of staff from the West Yorkshire youth offending team. They were all part of an intensive rehabilitation programme, reserved for the most persistent offenders. This involves up to 25 hours a week of supervision and surveillance.

The entry fee to Alton Towers is £31.68. The council estimated the trip cost £250, including refreshments, lunches and transportation. Yesterday, anti-knife campaigner Ann Oakes-Odger, who set up KnifeCrime.Org, said the outing was an insult to victims and their families. Mrs Oakes-Odger, whose son Westley, 27, was stabbed to death in Chelmsford in 2005 as he withdrew cash from an ATM, said: ‘One has to question why are we giving trips to Alton Towers to people that are not living by society’s rules when there are lots of good kids out there that do not get these kind of trips.’

It is understood that the group included a teenager who had robbed a pensioner and who was on bail for alleged robbery and burglary. Another had been released from jail only a week earlier for a robbery, while a third had convictions for a knifepoint robbery. Elaine McHale, corporate director for family services at Wakefield Council, said: ‘This activity was inappropriate for these young people and we have started an immediate review to identify how this decision was taken and to ensure lessons are learned.’

She added that the trip went without incident.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1UZuCjzAG

anti-knife campaigner

Why the Organisation was set up

KnifeCrimes.Org was established in 2006 and set up off the back of Prince of Tides which was a small Charity formed in 2003 to support bereaved families and those with Addiction issues. KnifeCrimes.Org was founded by Ann Oakes-Odger following the Murder of her Son, Westley Odger on the 12th September, 2005. She researched the need for specialist support for Knife Crime Victims' Families, and found many of the families grieving the loss of their children who were teenagers or younger Victims of fatal stabbings. She also obtained Statistics for the previous 9 years that showed 2,026 Homicides through 'Knife Crime' as opposed to 601 Homicides through 'Gun Crime'...fatalities are 4 times more likely through 'Knife Crime!'

The sudden death through Homicide of a Young Child or Teenager is particularly traumatic for parents, as well as siblings, grandparents and the School friends of the Victim and it is this understanding that forms the basis of our work.

The Support the Organisation provides

KnifeCrimes.Org provides a full range of services, some of which is as follows:

•Bereavement information
•Support with emotional experiences affecting ability to function normally and carry our normal daily routines
•Immediate access to peer support
•Facilitating access to answers for Victims' Families
•Providing a 'Victim Led' organisational management structure
•Ongoing provision of support to Homicide Victims' Families since December, 2006
•Advocacy and assistance in preparing 'Impact Statements'
•Providing Training to Police Family Liaison Officer (Homicide FLO's)...Schools, YOT's and other Agencies
•Access to 'Be Safe' Training to become a 'Weapons Awareness Facilitator' and other Training Programmes.

dales wrote:

dgs49 wrote:Whilst I was in Basic Training in the Army (often erroneously called, "Boot Camp"), I was subjected to a chemical attack called, "riot gas" (aka "CS").

Often confused with "teargas," I assure you, riot gas is many levels up the scale from mere teargas. Riot gas causes the skin to burn, eyes to water and burn, causes nausea and violent coughing.

If the police in London haven't tried it, they ought to.

Best of all, it causes no permanent harm.

But as for actual punishment, theft is theft, arson is arson, mayhem is mayhem. There are laws against all that. Prosecute as many as possible, according to the letter of the law. The unspoken motto of rioters is, "They can't arrest all of us!"

But it's worth a try.

Jarlaxle wrote:Not as effective as cannister shot from a Challenger tank's 120mm main gun.

rubato wrote:
CS is 'tear gas'. They are identical.

Get over yourself. You have no idea what you are talking about.

I've seen it used in 'live action' against someone being arrested and it is very effective.



yrs,
rubato

Tear gas operates differently from pepper spray. It is composed of a white crystal suspended in a delivery medium such as sec-butanol, along with various other chemicals. The effects of tear gas are immediate and usually extremely painful: the eyes shut, water and burn; the nose and mouth feel like they're afire; the Maced one coughs and chokes as his airways attempt to close against the chemical.

Source

loCAtek wrote:Nope, sorry CS stands for Capsicum Spray, capsicum being the agent in peppers that makes them 'hot'. Tear gas is made of chemicals;

Tear gas operates differently from pepper spray. It is composed of a white crystal suspended in a delivery medium such as sec-butanol, along with various other chemicals. The effects of tear gas are immediate and usually extremely painful: the eyes shut, water and burn; the nose and mouth feel like they're afire; the Maced one coughs and chokes as his airways attempt to close against the chemical.

Source

2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (also called o-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile) (chemical formula: C10H5ClN2) is the defining component of a "tear gas" commonly referred to as CS gas, which is used as a riot control agent. "CS gas" is actually an aerosol of a volatile solvent (a substance that dissolves other active substances and that easily evaporates with it) and 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile, which is a solid compound at room temperature. CS gas is generally accepted as being non-lethal. It was discovered by two Americans, Ben Corson and Roger Stoughton, at Middlebury College in 1928, and the chemical's name is derived from the first letters of the scientists' surnames.CS was developed and tested secretly at Porton Down in Wiltshire, England, in the 1950s and 1960s. CS was used first on animals, then subsequently on British Army servicemen volunteers. Notably, CS has a limited effect on animals due to "under-developed tear-ducts and protection by fur

Pepper spray, also known as OC spray (from "Oleoresin Capsicum"), OC gas, and capsicum spray, is a lachrymatory agent (a chemical compound that irritates the eyes to cause tears, pain, and even temporary blindness) that is used in riot control, crowd control, and personal self-defence, including defence against dogs and bears.[1] Its inflammatory effects cause the eyes to close, taking away vision. This temporary blindness allows officers to more easily restrain subjects and permits persons using pepper spray for self-defense an opportunity to escape.