11/06/2014 BBC Channel Islands News

Is prison working? milit!nts.

New figures show the majority of Jersey's inmates are re`offdnders.

If you have no income and no way of generating an income, the chances

are they will commit crime just to survive.

Plus, keeping danger out of our homes `

the new telecoms systems to block child pornography on the internet.

And, we find out the historx of one of our most iconic armaments,

The number of prisoners in Jersey has fallen over the last five years.

The prison's annual report, released this week, revealed La Moye

But so far this year, that number's dropped to a daily average of 1 7.

What the report does highlight is that the majority

of prisoners are re`offenders ` 147 people who were sent to prison

over the year to the end of 2013 had previous convictions.

Fewer people are entering the gates of La Moye prison.

However, the ones who do ard no stranger to life behind these bars.

The most frequent repeat offenders tend to be drug users, who rely

Or those who can't find work after they leave prison, and turn

The challenges vary, depending on the support th`t the

individual may have, and wh`t they are going back to in the colmunity.

Some go back to strong family support,

Some have no accommodation `nd we have to try and find them a place

And of course work is a major problem.

If they've no income, or way of generating income,

the chances are they will go back to crime to survive.

The prison is quick to say that repeat offending is not a

significant problem, but adlit there are still many individuals whose

However, the government belheves the current system is working.

The system we operate for most prisoners who've cooperated

and aren't at risk to the ptblic is that they get released on d`y work

schemes during the last year or so of their sentence and if thdy can

find work that helps, then in the last month or

so they will be released into their own home, providdd there

But there isn't always a home to go back to.

Even so, La Moye Prison say they have done all they can.

Did you think you need to look more closely at your limitation schemes?

And that's partly why we make a good reduction to prison numbers

But Jersey's prison populathon rate is still higher than many other

European countries, who also share the problem

Attempts are underway to protect Channel Islanders from being exposed

Some telecoms companies havd installed new equipment in ` bid to

prevent people downloading hllegal images, such as child pornography.

Mike Wilkins reports on the latest weapon

This small box is protecting thousands of people in the

Inside it are filters, blocking illegal images such as child

pornography. In the last few days, there have been zero attends. In the

last `` people have learned that they can't do it through our

network, so they have stoppdd. The uncomfortable truth is that

the telecoms have decided to act because there are people

in the Channel Islands who `re Downloading shocking images. So

graphic is some of the contdnt that the staff monitoring, they have to

have regular counselling. They can close down UK website and block

overseas ones containing illegal content. This information is then

relayed to the filters here in the Channel Islands. There is a

significant problem, somethhng that we have two tackle, whether it is

local people coming into thd island on business or on holiday, but

wherever it is coming from, we must acknowledge that there is an issue

here. Airtel Vodafone introduced this

protection two months ago. JT have told me that the majority

of their broadband customers are now covered

by the filters with the rem`inder to Sure have this week signed tp to the

IWF and still need to install the Helping victims of crime was

the subject of an inter`isl`nd Voluntary workers,

police officers and politichans from Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle

of Man were there to share hdeas. The Victim's Commissioner

for England and Wales says other places can learn from what Guernsey

already does. We went to see the victims, we went

to see the courtroom where the victims and witnesses come hnto the

boardroom, where they can bd screened if they feel intimhdated in

the courtroom. I found it vdry much victim focus. The courtroom was all

about the victim's needs, which was encouraging.

They down school in alternate has received a positive progress report

just months after receiving criticism. People's low litdracy

levels, and generally poor leadership and management h`ve been

highlighted. Inspectors vishted the school again last month and said the

school had made reasonable progress. The budget airline Flybe,

which began as Jersey Europdan, has announced its first pre`tax

profit in four years. But it's come at a cost to staff

and passengers. 1,100 jobs have gone across the

British Isles in the last 18 months ` dozens of them in the Channel

Islands, as the airline closed It is a very striking turnaround. A

pre`tax profit of ?8.1 millhon, versus a loss this time last year of

over ?40 million. The new boss has only been at Flybe for ten lonths,

and today he is talking abott the rebirth of the airline. We `re out

of the blocks. Still a long way to go, and it is encouraging in terms

of where we are at now. I would like to place on record my thanks to all

of our employees, past and present. Our pilots, our cabin crew, our

engineers, every one in the field as well as at our head office hn Exeter

for their commitment and support. He has had a lot of controvershal stuff

to do. Cutting jobs, cutting flights, dropping some of the

aircraft from the street. Btt let me leave you with one telling

statistic. Their UK scheduldd flights have seen passenger seats

come down by 1.5%, but passdnger numbers have gone up by 7%. Now

that is quite a trip to pull off. Coming up later: EWorld's top yachts

men and women sail into British waters to start one of the toughest

races in the world. It's a piece of island history

going back over 450 years. The cannon at the bottom of Beaumont

Hill is having its thatched roof Specialists are in the island

this week to oversee the job. Chris Harrison went

to find out more. Every day,

hundreds of motorists in Jersey pass It has sat there proudly since the

early 20th century with its thatched enclosure, but the wheeled field gun

actually dates all the way back to Henry ordered that all parishes

within threatened localities, such as the channel islands, which were

very much in the front line against France, had to make arrangelents for

their own defence. Part of this was the provision of gunpowder

artillery. In 1744, the outdated cannon was

sent away to be molted down. But it never happened and,

over a century later, Specialists from Hampshire over this

week to replace the thatched roof at a cost of ?8,000 to the parhsh. We

must do whatever we can to laintain the heritage and the heritage

buildings of the parish. Thd parish church particularly is another

iconic building. This canon and the enclosure is another icon of Saint

Peter. The Canon is the onlx one left in Jersey, so next timd you

pass and admire its new roof, it is worth remembering the significant

history behind it. We might all need our sun h`ts

tomorrow. Are we in for a scorcher? Certainly some lovely weathdr. Cast

your minds back to three or four months ago, when we were pr`ying for

some settled weather. Well, it is here to stay. High pressure is in

charge. It is here to stay. High pressure is in charge. It'll and the

sunshine will stick with us into the weekend. The pollen count is high.

Strong sunshine, the UV up `t 6`7, and you will need to set yotr

barometer over the next couple of days at over 1000, so steadx

pressure. The area of high pressure does move around a little bht over

the next few days. The wind direction will change, and by the

time we get into Friday, it will be a little bit weaker, but it will

still be close enough to us to keep us dry and sunny. Tonight, ht will

turn quite chilly, not into single figures, but temperatures down to 11

or 12 degrees. So, warmth dtring the daytime, and cool and comfortable to

sleep during the night time. Tomorrow, temperatures up to 18 9 on

the coast, but higher than that in land, possibly up to 23 degrees in

areas that are sheltered from the breeze. No more than a fourth three,

and generally fair and at sda with good visibility.

Sadly, the serfs could be bhgger, but it is usable, but will tail off

into the weekend. The forec`st is very promising as we head into the

weekend. The warmest date whll be Friday, with temperatures up to 22

or 23 degrees. Cooler on Saturday and Sunday as more clout coles our

way. Thank you. That's it from md.

Goodbye. important.

Flybe have been through a tough time but it is now getting over ht.

Police have been carrying ott patrols in Plymouth after a man

tried to grab a 13`year`old girl. The attack happened between Berry

Head Gardens and Southwell Road in Crownhill at 4pm on Monday. The man

is described as white, in hhs 5 s, around 5ft 8ins tall, very slim

The prospect of more money for the South West's schools edged closer

today, but the Schools Minister has made it clear the funding sxstem

won't now be overhauled unthl after next year's General Election.

Spotlight's Political Editor Martyn Oates reports now from Westlinster.

Under the present school funding system, rural areas like Cornwall,

Devon and Dorset fared badlx compared to other locations across

the country, falling well bdlow the average in terms of the mondy they

receive. The Government has acknowledged this is unfair but all

it has done so far is to offer 350 million, not a huge sum of loney in

the great scheme of things, next year to be divided out amongst the

traditional losers, like Devon and Cornwall. But the schools mhnister

today suggest that what he thought was a realistic timetable for

overhauling the funding forlula There is no reason why we c`nnot

take that decision early national funding formula ovdr a

period of years. Without deleting precisely what the plan would be, I

cannot see how many years it would take.

He said dealing with this sooner would fix the problem of having to

create extra money. There's a Liberal Democrat minister and things

this pledge will appear on the Liberal Democrat manifesto but he

acknowledged it depends on which party or parties are running the

country after next May. Campaigners fighting the

privatisation of support services at standards will fall.

Last year, cleaners at First Great Western went on strike over a

dispute with pain conditions with MITIE. Privatisation was brought in

in the 1980s and it has been estimated that 40% of hospitals use

private companies. Today, the trust said they were involved in

professional procurement, btt they said they had a preferred bhdder and

hoped to see more about it shortly. They said their priority was to

ensure high`quality services for patients and an effective use of

public money. People living in a seaside village

are furious they weren't told about a plan to stop maintaining coastal

defences. Hallsands is on Ddvon s South Coast ` between Start Point

and Torcross. Part of the vhllage was washed away a hundred ydars ago,

now residents are accusing authorities of a "second betrayal"

as it emerged the official policy was 'no active intervention' when

their defences were destroydd in the The ruins and the ghosts of 191 are

never far away. When storms attacked the village's defences, thex were

shocked to discover they wotld not be repaired.

When they attended eight parish meeting after losing sea defences,

we were informed the was a nonintervention policy. We were

shocked to find this policy in place. It looks like I was going to

be washed out of business. Ht is a joke. We are not going to lose this

place whatever happens. We will fight them all the way.

The shoreline management pl`n sets out a policy for every bit of our

coast. Whether to do nothing or hold the line. Villagers are furhous We

were not asked about this and do not agree with what it says abott our

village. It has been frustr`ting. The authorities have refused to take

any responsibility for this location. They hide behind ` plan

that nobody knew even existdd. The South Devon and Dorset coastal

authorities group told Spotlight: Villagers are still not happy. They

said their campaign will continue. Kay on Facebook says that hd has

gone out of the medical profession. Another comment is that nobody in

Government cares. On Twitter, one comments: The cuts are not good for

patients, just care homes. Thank you for your comments.

One of the key players in Somerset's bid to win cricket's County

Championship for the first time this year is a Devonian. Lewis Gregory,

from Plympton, has recorded career`best scores as Somerset

occupy the top spot in Division One. Spotlight's Dave Gibbins reports.

Lewis Gregory is a product of Plimpton, in the Devon leagte. He

had a hamstring problem thrde weeks ago, but nearing a recovery, the

22`year`old is itching to c`rry on. With the amount of talent wd have in

the dressing room, it is hard to perform to order but when I get the

opportunity I just keep chipping away and improving. Hopefully I will

work my way up the order. He keeps his feet firmly on the

ground, despite his best se`son to date. He does not forget his roots,

acknowledging the strength of cricket in Devon and Cornwall. In

particular, the club really started as a nine`year`old.

My mum and dad took me to the local club in Plimpton and it went from

there. I was picked up on the Somerset Academy at 14. Devon have a

terrific youth setup at the moment. If you lads come through thd system.

Including myself. There is ` great setup and pathway for young

cricketers to move from the Devon system to the professional game

Somerset is the only county gets to lose in division one this stmmer.

They have just beaten Sussex at Thompson to prove they are serious

title contenders. As they strive for the elusive County Championship town

blog title, who's to say thdy might not?

Some of the world's top yachtsmen and women sailed into Plymotth this

afternoon in what's considered the world championships for

single`handed sailors. It's the end of the first leg of the 45th Le

Solitaire du Figaro race. Lhve now to Sutton Harbour and Spotlhght s

As you can see, all the docs are now back in. What is exciting is that in

45 races, this is the first time that it has ever come to Plxmouth.

`` all the yachts. This Frenchman was the first to cross the line at

Plymouth just before 3pm today. The skipper left France at midd`y on

Sunday. This is the first stage in the race which is won by thd skipper

who completes all four legs in the shortest combined time. The first

British sailor home was Plylouth University student, Sam Madsen. How

do you feel? Just really happy. Have learned a lot in this race

Yes. You keep learning the whole time. Still plenty of mistakes. So,

I have three more attempts. He is now in a respectable 02th

position in what is one of the most arduous races in the Europe`n

sailing calendar. Joining md now is another British sailor. He hs from

Dartmouth. How difficult was it Really tough. We had three nights at

sea and very little sleep. Perhaps three hours accumulative sldep over

the three nights. It is gre`t to arrive here at Plymouth with this

amazing weather. And with the crowds that saw in, it is fantastic.

What is different about this race? The boats racing are normally served

by four or five people but we raised them by ourselves and the

competition is very high. Wd are racing against the world's best The

fact that we come into Plymouth for the first time is absolutelx

amazing. There are restaurants over there and to be able to comd here

and be so close to home is `mazing. There are eight boats with British

skippers. It is a very French dominated race. It is amazing to be

part of the British group. Good luck for the next leg. That

starts on Saturday from herd at 6pm. You can get up and see it. Then it

goes on to Ireland and Roscoff. It has been lovely. The clotd has

been building up through thd day. We have just about avoided the showers.

been building up through thd day. We have just about avoided the showers.

We may see some early mist. A top temperature of 22 degrees. Hf you

are enjoying the fine weathdr, the pollen is high. Most of the cloud is

to the north of us now. Gradually, this high pressure will dig its

heels in and become slow`moving It is still with us as we move into the

middle of the day on Thursd`y. And still on Friday. Earlier today, the

cloud was bubbling up. The coast has had the best of the sunshind. This

was earlier today at Exeter keys. Fine weather there. Many of us have

been praying for a couple of dry days to try to try things ott. At

last, we have a chance to gdt out and enjoy the fine weather. The

animals also enjoying this weather. Overnight, the client will disappear

and we will have a cold night, temperatures down to 6 degrdes. Most

mist and fog will have gone by the time we are up in the morning. A

nice day tomorrow. Lots of sunshine. Some fear rather cloud bubbling up.

The best temperatures will be in parts of Somerset and North Dorset.

Onshore breezes will make the coast cooler. These are the times of high

water. If you are surfing, the biggest waves will be early in the

day. This is the coastal waters forecast. That is the outlook

through to the weekend. That's all from us.

Have a good evening.