People want rules, order and proper behaviour, the Prime Minister said today.
Mr Blair was announcing the government’s five-year strategy for the Criminal Justice System and the Home Office.
The Prime Minister said it would mark the end of the 1960s liberal, social consensus on law and order which, although it saw huge positive breakthroughs, also focused on the offender’s rights and understanding the social causes of crime.
People have had enough of this part of the 1960s consensus, he said, and while they don’t want a return to prejudice and discrimination they do want rules and proper behaviour. The Prime Minister added:
"They want a society of respect. They want a society of responsibility. They want a community where the decent law-abiding majority are in charge; where those that play by the rules do well; and those that don’t, get punished."
Crime figures have fallen in recent years, the Prime Minister said.
"But that’s the statistics. It’s not what people feel."
Home Secretary David Blunkett will set out the details of the five year plan later today. Mr Blair said it would focus on:
- Reviving community policing
- Targeting offenders
- Giving local communities and police the powers they need to enforce respect on the street
Reforms to the criminal justice system will re-balance the system in favour of the victim. He added:
"We understand criminal behaviour often has complex and tragic antecedents. But our first duty is to the law-abiding citizen. They are our boss. It’s time to put them at the centre of the CJS. That is the new consensus on law and order for our times."
Details of the five year plan will be available here later today.
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