--_._. If you have issues viewing or accessing this file contact us at NCJRS.gov. , , EXPRRTS' PAPERS INNER LONDON PROBATION AND AFTER-CARE SERVICE cover. This is an issue to which the courts anything to jeopardise taking part in the offenders but we also believe that we have previously removed. In addition, he has make no reference when imposing driving race, not just from the team-mate, but begun to ask the right questions. been known to take buses and articulated bans, and it is often only when the offend­ from all the project members. Occasionally, Offering to offenders the free facility lorries. He was at one time made the sub­ er tries to run a car legitimately that he the group decides to suspend a member for of using welding, paint-spraying, body­ ject of a Hospital order by the court-and discovers the full extent of the penalties a limited time if his behaviour puts others building and engine tuning equipment and drove himself home from hospital in an incurred. at risk, but on reinstatement, he is again making profeSSional instruction available ambulance! In one appearance before the Whilst these broadly educative aspects given opportunities to be trusted and make has at times understandably provoked crown court, he was harangued at length of the programme were being established, a constructive cC'r'tributiofl. Banger-racing some resentment among the law-abiding and very severely by the judge on the un­ those involved were actively searching for offers competition, companionship, sports­ neighbours who complain that it pays acceptability of this kind of behaviour, and some legitimate driving outlet for those manship, excitement and achievement in youngsters to become auto-crime offenders. then given a conditional discharge. This who were banned, since repairing, rebuild­ return for effort, and has proved for the Our response to that is that such facilities was carefully explained and he promised to ing, maintaining and making cars road­ offenders to be a very attractive and fruitful need to be more generally available, and comply, but on leaving the court a free worthy, whilst being very satisfying in way of learning to modify previous atti­ perhaps should be part of the modern man he took the first car he saw and drove some ways, also created tension and frustra­ tudes and behaviour. The relationships education process as it is in America. We it away-it was the Judge's! tions. The answer to this problem proved which the clients establish with the project do not accept that the delay in setting up The family were decent, non-delinquent to be 'banger-racing' or demolition derby leader and other authority figures at the such schemes by Education Departments, folk who tried everything possible to pre­ racing-a sport which gives old cars an Motor Project are of great significance in the Minister for Sport or any other rele­ vent him from committing further offences, opportunity to make one last grab at glory . all this and flourish the more because they vant authority should constrain us from even to mounting guard over him on a 24- In five minutes, a car endures more colli­ are not over-emphasised but develop nat­ tackling on a practical level the problems hour basis. His mother actually slept across sions than ever before in its lifetime-an urally out of a shared interest. of a particular group of offenders for the threshold of his bedroom, but he unrecognisable heap of wreckage screaming Cars are an integral status symbol in all whom existing legal penalties have signally quietly stepped ave" her and left the house, its heart out and still able to limp on in a classes of our society and car manufacturers failed. just 36 hours after being released from a cloud of steam generates terrific excitement invest millions to ensure that they remain Because the crucial age range for car­ prison sentence. He took a car which he for the spectators, and even more for those so. The desire to possess a car is knowingly hooked offenders is between 12-18, little drove around until the petrol was low, who are competing. Very strict safety implanted in people's minds at a very early has been said about the older offender who when he went into a car park, paid the 35p regUlations are laid down by Spedeworth age, but must be frustrated until the legal is still in the throes of this problem. There fee, made his way to the nearest police International, the organising body, and are age for driving (seventeen) is reached. In have been older clients at the Centre, and station, and gave them the ticket, explain­ carefully observed. Drivers must be over other spheres it is easier to protect young they have responded quite well, one or two ing what he had done. He was promptly sixteen and for racing events disqualifica­ people from "adult joys" such, for exam­ in fact having progressed to voluntary arrested. The court appreciated the diffi­ tion by a court is not a bar. Although the ple, as drinking and erotic films, and this instructor status as their mechanical skills culty of its task, but felt the only way to driving skills displayed on the track seem extends to prosecution of those who increased. Sadly, the example I shall now protect the public, having regard to his perilously close to those of a kamikaze deliberately allow under-age persons to quote did not find his way to us, and in­ previous record, was to impose a custodial pilot, very few drivers are hurt, and in fact indulge. Where cars are concerned a com­ deed, I shudder to think what might have sentence. This course was taken with minor bruises "and cuts seem to be the parable protective approach is not apparent happened ifhe had! considerable reluctance and hesitation, but worst that happens. Most of the value of and simulated adult behaviour results in This is a case of a young man of 26 who no suitable alternative could be found. The 'banger-racing' lies in the preparation and the responsibility being put squarely back appeared before the Court of Appeal, Court of Appeal, solely as an act of mercy, , build up for the event. Preparing a banger­ on the young offender's shoulders, without having previously been given a 3 years quashed the 3-year prison sentence, the car means firstly the dismantling of un­ much consideration about how they were prison sentence for taking and driving. As man by then having spent 12 months in wanted parts,pot much technical knowhow seduced in the first place. a result of an accident eleven years before, custody before his appeal was heard, and is required and this puts the backward It was with some trepidation that the he had had to undergo brain surgery which substituted a conditional discharge for two client on a relatively equal footing. Some Project attempted the radical approach of produced personality change. This mani­ years. When last heard of, our intrepid modifications to the bodywork are re­ trying to deal with these offenders by giv­ i fested itself only in compulsive taking and driver was safe in Cardiff gaol. He had required, which is carried out under expert ing them what they sought to obtain by ;t;. driving away motor vehicles. On one occa­ been hitch-hiking in the Usk Valley and instruction. For each banger-car, there is a committing offences, and its steady devel­ sion while on holiday in Prestatyn, North had moved over behind the wheel when the team of one driver and one mechanic who opment and encouragingly low rate of Wales, he carefully transferred five police driver of an articulated lorry carrying are totally responsible for the vehicle from convictions among clients argues that this cars from Rhyl to Prestatyn, and just as £3,000 worth of copper tubing got out to start to finish and who work together boldness has worked. Out of some 120 carefully removed five other cars back to relieve himself! towards the same goal. They constantly clients who have attended the Centre, fur­ Rhyl. On another occasion, he took a A case of this kind brings home that have to resolve difficulties in reaching th~r conviction rates for offences involving loaded lorry, drove it to Dover where he there is much yet to be learned about decisions, sharing responsibility and effort, cars has varied between 180/0-23% over the left it neatly parked, returning home with effective W?', s of dealing with these of­ and, of course, their shared commitment last three years. We accept that we still another loaded lorry which he placed in fenders. The fact that more centres similar means heavy recrimination if either does have a great deal to learn about auto- exactly the same position as the one he had to the Ilderton Motor Project are now 93 92 -, 1 f , r f~ I EXPERTS' PAPERS being set up gives grounps to hope that our NOTE Con.temporary Trends ,and Major Issues in Probation small-scale experiment has succeeded in creating serious interest in this new ap­ 1. "Drives after Sentence", T.C. Willett, by Donald J. Newman * proach to treatment which can be devel­ Associated Professor of Sociology, oped further by others. Queens University, Ontario, 1973. Pro"ation as a Sentence trivial offenses where probation is normally ordered by the court, the judge may reject Probation is the most common sentence this option and instead order the offender imposed on American criminal offenders, to be incarcerated in a jail or prison to both those convicted of serious crimes or serve his sentence.