Written evidence to be reported to the House
Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill
4:15 pm
Edward Garnier (Shadow Minister, Justice; Harborough, Conservative)
May I ask a question of both the magistrates and Mrs. Lawrie for the probation boards? One area within the Bill dealing with youth justice that is a matter of concern—whether everybody in the Committee shares that concern is neither here nor there—is the compulsory fostering of people’s children by the state. This is apparently designed to improve the chances of reducing reoffending, particularly among children from what I would loosely, and rather pejoratively, call dysfunctional families. Do you, as a magistrate, and you, as a probation board chief executive and someone who has been a probation officer, have anything to say about the sensible nature of that disposal and the ability of the state—be it a local authority or a foster parent appointed by a local authority—to see this as a good thing?