Real cure for toll of crime

From: Les Arnott, Athelstan Road, Sheffield.

I FEAR that Robert Buckland’s piece ( The Yorkshire Post, September 18) filled me with a sense of ‘‘ we’ve heard it all before’’.

Many of the problems within our criminal justice system must be laid directly at the door of our illustrious probation service.

After a number of years working in the justice system, I can declare that the interests of society were almost always considered secondary to the perceived entitlements of the criminal classes. If I have only learned one thing about criminals and rehabilitation, it is that this only ever occurs when the individual ultimately decides that s/ he wants to change. Until that point is reached, if we have to lock social menaces away for the general good – then so be it.