Captain's log 19.05.2010 - it won't flush . . . .

I am feeling like most parents; LOL - I notice that NO ONE is reading this, so I am, effectively, talking to myself! Never mind, I live in hope. If nothing else, I can vent some spleen. It's cathargic (that may well be spelt wrong!).

In my second week of a job I didn't want but had to take (mortgage, kids, etc.) or else they'd let me "go". As I said in the first "episode", the job I have loved and successfully carried out for over ten years has been "budgetted" out of existence. It is heartbreaking, because we are still getting 'phone calls - desperate 'phone calls - from people we previously worked with, and we have to say "Sorry, it doesn't exist anymore; go to your local CAB (appointments available in 8-10 weeks time) or . . .", or where? Those few "not for profit" agencies that exist are already seriously over-subscribed.

Instead of helping and working with the "deserving poor" (OAP's, children with disabilities or learning impaired, sensory impaired, mental health/ illness, physically disabled, etc.) I have been given the task of working with a completely different group.

My new job is managing a team who will work with offenders. All, and any, offenders - be it the petty or the lifer. Prisoners discharged from institutions are treated as "Priority Homeless" and, in a naive initiative to reduce reoffending, those who declare themselves "NFA" (No Fixed Abode) are entitled to our help. We attempt to find them somewhere to live, establish support structures (having assessed needs first) and get them off to a fresh start.

Please don't get me wrong. I am not opposed to any initiative that stops this country from filling up Prisons. A former Chief Inspector of Prisons, a retired General I think, said something very apposite once. He said, "British Prisons contain too many people. Two thirds of them should never have been locked up; and one third should never be let out". By this he meant that many imprisoned have mental health issues or dependency problems (alcohol, drugs, etc.), and should be treated not punished. I agree with him. In my past, I have worked with offenders before - my assessment was 75% made bad choices in response to a situation and did something silly/ illegal; the other 25% are career-minded, evil sods, who simply prefer to act as parasites. We have so many disused pits in the UK. Surely we can drop them down there? (OK - humour!!)

My problem is that they can find the necessary funding for me to work with offenders, but they cannot for me to work with the non-offending, listed above. I am on the exact same salary - so is this best use of my skills and tax-payers money?

I am not certain it is!