Political Narratives and Constructive Practice
| Date | 01 June 2002 |
| Author | Charles McDonald |
| Published date | 01 June 2002 |
| DOI | 10.1177/026455050204900216 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
procedure and the work of Community
questionable. The training undertaken by
Safety Units. Once again the treatment of
prison staff, with regard to particular
Irish people in custody attracted comment.
groups such as Irish Travellers remains
While most of the issues raised at the
wholly inadequate. Interestingly, but
conference were interesting, there was a
perhaps unsurprisingly, despite being
sense of treading old ground. As the
invited, there were no representatives from
Conference title was ‘Justice and
the Prison Service in attendance.
Policing’, it was somewhat disappointing
The Police, however, were well
that there was no formal input from the
represented. Commander Cressida Dick of
Probation Service. However, the
the Diversity Directorate within the
opportunity to provide a focus on what
Metropolitan Police addressed the issue of
John McDonnell described, as an
the Irish and Policing. She identified that
“invisible community” was welcome.
little research has been undertaken with
(12.4.02)
regard to the Irish Community, and that
Nicola Carr
this was reflective of a general failure to
Probation Officer,
recognise the distinct experiences of this
London
community. The lack of research into this
topic was a theme that was echoed by
most speakers. Cressida Dick outlined the
fact that past relations between the police
Political Narratives
and the Irish Community have been
characterised by a history of suspicion and
and Constructive
a pattern of unfair targeting. This is in part
a legacy of the IRA’s campaign of
Practice
terrorism in Britain, which led to the
For its Spring conference, Napo Members’
finger of suspicion being pointed at all
Action Group returned to Ruskin Hall,
sectors of the Irish community and to well
Oxford, intent on examining the politics
publicised miscarriages of justice. Echoing
and practice of the National Probation
the findings of the Macpherson Report,
Service. This year the focus was on
she identified that the...
To continue reading
Request your trial