10/02/2017

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:00:16. > :00:18.Electronic tagging is being considered in Guernsey

:00:19. > :00:22.It's thought it could help reduce the numbers of people

:00:23. > :00:24.in custody, particularly those on short sentences.

:00:25. > :00:26.It's one idea mentioned in a new prison report which looks

:00:27. > :00:29.at some of the changes over the past year, as Penny Elderfield explains.

:00:30. > :00:32.The start of another day at Guernsey prison.

:00:33. > :00:36.I've been here for 18 months, it's not too bad.

:00:37. > :00:42.You wouldn't choose to be here, it's hard emotionally and mentally.

:00:43. > :00:45.I've focused on what I'm going to do when I leave,

:00:46. > :00:48.and how this might be a change in my life.

:00:49. > :00:50.Michael's one of around 90 prisoners here.

:00:51. > :00:54.And whilst focusing on how he could change, there've been quite

:00:55. > :01:01.New security measures, training opportunities and now this.

:01:02. > :01:04.This is the new wing area that we were talking about.

:01:05. > :01:12.This new female wing is the latest development.

:01:13. > :01:14.We had an external inspection that said we needed to separate

:01:15. > :01:17.the female to male areas, that is exactly what we have done.

:01:18. > :01:20.Even though the numbers are low, this wing will hold six women

:01:21. > :01:29.and it will safeguard if the numbers increase again.

:01:30. > :01:30.Generally the number of prisoners is down.

:01:31. > :01:32.Around 30%, in fact, on 2012 figures.

:01:33. > :01:35.And the prison governor does have a plan to cut that further.

:01:36. > :01:38.Electronic tagging, allowing people to serve their sentences

:01:39. > :01:42.It's widely used in other jurisdictions for low-risk prisoners

:01:43. > :01:48.Imprisonment is very expensive and you have to question the benefit

:01:49. > :01:53.of that to the island if someone is sent here for a very short time.

:01:54. > :01:57.So it gives an alternative, should the courts wish to use it.

:01:58. > :02:01.It's a change Home Affairs will consider to help reduce

:02:02. > :02:07.Although realistically it'll take more than just

:02:08. > :02:12.A lot of people come and you won't see them again.

:02:13. > :02:18.Sometimes, it's for people's life experience to bring

:02:19. > :02:23.about that change rather than the prison itself.

:02:24. > :02:26.A 55-year-old man from Jersey who admitted posting a highly

:02:27. > :02:28.offensive comment on Facebook about Syrian refugees

:02:29. > :02:34.Dale Minikin from St Peter was sentenced

:02:35. > :02:42.An online discussion on a Facebook page centred on a play at the Jersey

:02:43. > :02:44.Arts Centre featuring Syrian refugees.

:02:45. > :02:47.There were a number of posts but the short comment

:02:48. > :02:50.from Dale Minikin was singled out by the police because it suggested

:02:51. > :02:56.It accepted that he had no intention of violence

:02:57. > :03:02.The magistrate called it a fleeting moment of stupidity

:03:03. > :03:06.but he should've realised it was grossly offensive

:03:07. > :03:13.and could have encouraged violence by others.

:03:14. > :03:16.Jersey's Children's Services has seen a big increase

:03:17. > :03:23.Last November, 244 cases were reported to the department

:03:24. > :03:27.responsible for protecting vulnerable children.

:03:28. > :03:30.That figure is double the monthly average.

:03:31. > :03:36.Usually this department sees around 100 children a month

:03:37. > :03:38.who may need protection, but the end of last year saw

:03:39. > :03:44.what officials are calling an unprecedented rise in calls.

:03:45. > :03:47.It may well be that there's been an increase due to the white ribbon

:03:48. > :03:50.campaign that ran in November about awareness

:03:51. > :03:56.Other things as well, we had some other risk

:03:57. > :03:59.assessments that we were doing, and we were also doing some

:04:00. > :04:02.assessments of children with quite complex needs so a few factors

:04:03. > :04:05.but hard to pin it on one particular thing.

:04:06. > :04:08.And the rise has also been noticed this children's charity.

:04:09. > :04:11.We have children from all different aspects, from the Bosdet Foundation

:04:12. > :04:14.through Social Services and Children's Services and other

:04:15. > :04:23.I think we had a 20-30% increase last summer,

:04:24. > :04:27.and Christmas again there was another increase so it's

:04:28. > :04:30.definitely been increasing as the months have gone on,

:04:31. > :04:33.To cope with the demand at Children's Services, social

:04:34. > :04:37.Plus the department is looking to recruit another 20 professionals.

:04:38. > :04:39.But this is during a national shortage of social workers.

:04:40. > :04:42.My caseload is quite high at the moment, so there is that need

:04:43. > :04:46.to prioritise but that's the case, no matter how many cases you have.

:04:47. > :04:50.And we're fortunate to work in a profession where people

:04:51. > :04:56.It's also hoped a social work degree will become available in the island.

:04:57. > :05:00.And ?6 million will be injected into the department this year.

:05:01. > :05:04.But officials admit coping with such a high number

:05:05. > :05:13.The club at the centre of a dispute in women's football

:05:14. > :05:17.in the Channel Islands has written to the Jersey and Guernsey Football

:05:18. > :05:20.Associations to try to get this year's Muratti re-instated.

:05:21. > :05:24.The 2017 match between the two islands was cancelled

:05:25. > :05:28.because the Guernsey FA couldn't convince enough women to register.

:05:29. > :05:33.Many of the top players represent Ormer Ladies in the UK.

:05:34. > :05:38.But now 18 Ormer players have agreed also to sign for Guernsey-based

:05:39. > :05:42.clubs Sylvans and Rovers, making them eligible

:05:43. > :05:48.If the GFA accept their applications and I can't see any reason why

:05:49. > :05:50.they would not want to, then they are eligible to play,

:05:51. > :05:53.I believe, unless the rules have been changed, so hopefully the issue

:05:54. > :06:01.that they raised on Wednesday we have gone some way to solving.

:06:02. > :06:04.You're up to date with the news for the Channel Islands

:06:05. > :06:12.I will leave you with the forecast and David Braine.

:06:13. > :06:18.We really need to wrap up warm this weekend. It is a bitterly cold

:06:19. > :06:19.We really need to wrap up warm this weekend. It is a bitterly cold

:06:20. > :06:26.easterly wind, even stronger on Sunday. Cloudier times and the risk

:06:27. > :06:30.of wintry showers. Some of those have been round this evening. A few

:06:31. > :06:37.more to come tomorrow. They are light, scattered, but a risk

:06:38. > :06:42.nonetheless. On Sunday, see how tightly packed the isobars are,

:06:43. > :06:46.strong winds for a time. On Monday, things warm up slowly and gradually

:06:47. > :06:50.but taking their time before they arrive. A few showers possible

:06:51. > :06:56.overnight tonight. They tend to fade away for a time. Cloud cover but

:06:57. > :06:59.breaks developing, temperatures down to 1 degrees, are forced as possible

:07:00. > :07:05.first thing and it really does feel cold tomorrow. We will struggle with

:07:06. > :07:09.our temperatures. You can see a scattering of showers, most of which

:07:10. > :07:15.will be rain, some sleet, one or two isolated showers will fall as snow

:07:16. > :07:19.and it is not very warm with a top temperature of three degrees. On

:07:20. > :07:22.Sunday, it is slightly less cold but there is more wind around so perhaps

:07:23. > :07:29.you won't notice the difference. Monday and Tuesday week, we started

:07:30. > :07:30.temperatures rise. That is all from me. Goodbye.

:07:31. > :07:35.exception to that rule probably over the hills where again there could be

:07:36. > :07:37.a bit of snow, but not accumulating. Another