In just over a week no less than three men have been found guilty of murdering women, two of them proven to be multiple murderers and the other suspected of murders in Australia where he had gone after killing here in this country.

The crimes span six years between these three, and we have to ask the question, is it not time that this country had sentences that match the crime?

This is not a debate about Capital Punishment, though it has been proven that it can be a useful detterent it has also been proven that once having killed, even accidently a killer will decide that he has nothing to lose by doing it again as you can only die once.

This is about the ludicrous sentencing system in this country that means a Judge has to specify the amount of years that a killer has to serve, sentencing them to life does not work here as they would be out in a matter of a few years. Is it not time that 'life' sentences in this country matched those of the country the killers try to emulate?

In America 'life without parole' means just that, the only way you leave is in a box, not seven years later having had your sentence automatically halved the minute you enter the prison gates, and then get another half wiped off for 'good' behaviour!

These three hopefully will not walk out the gates in that time, no less than thirty five years for at least one of them, and it may be that he will never walk out, but there is also the chance that he will, how old will he be, seventies? Can you honestly say that even at that age they are not capable of carrying out a murder or of, even worse, training someone else how to do it? And yes there are people out there that will write to these people and beg them for pointers in their crimes!

We live in a world where Human life seems to be a throw away commodity, is it not time to say enough, and to place a proper value even if it is only in terms of sentencing, upon the lives of those unfortunate enough to cross paths with those that think it is their right to take what is not theirs, a life.

With the news of yet another stabbing in a school this morning in Leeds we have to ask the question, What will it take before something is done about safety in schools?

A 14 year old boy is this afternoon 'Comfortable' in Hospital after being stabbed in his classroom by a 13 year old student. The incident happened at Allerton Grange School in Leeds and kind of makes a mockery of the wording used by the head teacher in his school prospectus

He wrote: "Our aim is that your child is safe, is taught well and is encouraged to develop his/her skills and talents as a responsible member of the school and the wider community. We may be a large school, but your child will be known by the staff whose job it is to look after them while they are here."

Hmmmm, try telling the 14 year old boy's Mother and Father that he is 'safe' at school!

How many more stabbings, beatings and kickings will it take before the people in charge of Education face the fact that we have a problem in our schools? Is it going to take a columbine tragedy? Is one of our students going to have to get a gun and shoot down his fellow classmates and teachers before this problem is addressed?

School should be a safe place to send your children, it is no longer a safe place, not when your child ends up in hospital with stab wounds, and using statistics to say that the amount of stabbings, beatings and kickings are neglible to the amount of children attending school is a cop out, one child in hospital is one child too many!

It is time that this problem was dealt with instead of being swept under the carpet!

A baby has had its very short life ended and the young parents have suffered a loss that all parents fear, that of the loss of a child.

A faulty boiler explodes and a child dies, not the first even of this kind but surely it should be the last?

The first night in a new house, supplied by the council and this tragedy occurs, but who is responsible for what happened? Had the parents been aware of the dangers of this type of boiler blowing up and raining scalding hot water on their chid it is safe to say that they would not have placed the child in that room in that place, perhaps even refused to move in to the house until it was replaced.

This was a council property, was this their responsibility, especially in the light of the same thing happening four years ago? Surely when a tenant moves out and they take the proerty back then they should check all equipment and replace what needs replacing? They do in my district, well most of the time anyway.

They had knowledge of this happening before, should they have replaced all the boilers of this kind that were in their proerties in order to prevent such a thing happening again instead of keeping quiet about what had happened?

Are the boiler manufacturers at fault for having faulty thermostats? But that would only apply had they been made in this country where they have to pass rigourus tests to obtain the seal of approval.

Personally I believe that the Council should carry the blame for this one for two reasons, one not advising or making it publicly known that these particular types of boliers have a danger of blowing up and two, for not replacing them in the properties that they own and rent out to young couples with young children.

As the courts have so rightly declared, this was an accident waiting to happen that could have been avoided.

When Jamie Bulger was murdered by two young boys the country was aghast as much at the fact that two little boys had kidnapped and murdered a child as much as the actual crime.

Those boys are now living in another country with new names and a new life.

History has taught us that children can and do commit horrific crimes, and not just the juvenile and petty things we associate with our young ones.

That is until now, the Bulger case opened a debate on whether young children could be tried in a manner that befit the crime. We have seen over the past few years people that we call children commiting what we class as Adult crimes, namely rape and murder.

The time when children would run if you mentioned telling their parents or if they saw a police iniform has long gone, nowadays they stand and swear at you, throw things at you physically attack you.

We have passed laws that have virtually made these children untouchable, they are not scared what have they to fear? they are minors, they can go out and knife the kid down the road because he said something they didnt like and know that they will probably do community service for it.

Children know they can do wrong and get away with it, and if they know this then surely they know the difference between right and wrong?

In which case they know what they are doing when they take that knife or that gun and use it to take anothers life.

If a child knowingly commits an adult crime, should that child be tried as an adult?

We all have seen the increasing and alarming amount of knife crimes, some of us even have friends ho have had their children attacked and are increasingly frustrated at their inability to protect their children from harm when they are simply playing with friends or going to the take away.

My frustration has been mainly in my inability to help these people, my friends, and put their mind at ease. I say things like the police will deal with it, and that eventually they will get on top of things. Until today I believed that this is what would happen.

Today I took my bin liner out and went to place it in the bin, there sat in the bottom is a very large knife, I didnt place it there and it had to have been put there after thursday when the bin men came.

As any concerned citizen would I called the police to inform them of my find.

The conversation went something like this

Me: I thought I had better call as I have just found a rather large knife in my dustbin
Police: Oh!
Me: Just in case you know there was anything outstanding on your files?
Police: Which number did you call?
Me: Erm this number, the local station xxxxxx
Police:Oh!
Me: Erm the knife?
Police: Oh yes, well we have nothing outstanding on knives, whats it like?
Me: Very large, like a butchers knife
Police: Oh, well, I could send some one to get it but we are rather busy.
Me: So someone putting a very large knife in my bin over the last few days is of no consequence then?
Police: Well no, you were right to report it and if it is really bothering you I will get someone to dispose of it, but it could be a few days.
Me: No, I wouldn't want to put you out, I have covered it and will get someone to dispose of it, I just wanted to make sure I did the right thing.
Police: Yes you did
Me: Right thank you good afternoon

I dont know if any of you noticed the missing parts of that conversation? For those of you that did, well done, correct he did not take either my name or my address, nor did he ask me for my number which is always withheld!

If they suddenly discover that there is an outstanding knife crime from another district he will not know where to go.

I admit the knife didnt look as if it had been used, but I didnt get that close to it, but that is irrelevant, someone had obviousely intended to use it at some point.

It is no wonder that knife crime is rife when the police are too busy to care!

This is not a pretty post, and I am afraid if you do not like graphic pictures then you must not read or go any further.

I like many others probably, watched extreme skinny celebrities last night on Living TV, I have watched it before it doesn't interest me what the rich do with their bodies.

However I was doing research for an article I was doing on eating disorders, and yes I know it is an old topic, but, it is one that is once again becoming the centre of attention.

When this is classed as beautiful

This is the consequence

The top picture is Mary Kate Olsen, one half of the famous Olsen twins that teenagers the world over wish to emulate. Mary Kates, once lovely teenage face is now nothing but cheek bones covered in a thin skin, the bones all down her spine can plainly be seen, her arms are like sticks. And this is what young girls are emulating all over the world. As the second picture clearly shows, the face has been removed to protect the young lady.

It isn't bad enough that the females and males that our young, and our not so young wish to be like are killing themselves in the name of Fame, but that these young people that believe they are ugly if they are bigger than a british size eight, are joining sites that actively promote thier eating disorders, sites that actually tell them they are ugly, if they are a size 10.

Sites that believe this

Is what beauty looks like.

I read the comments from girls of twelve and thirteen, threatening to kill themselves if they could not lose weight and get down to the perfect size 6, thats an American size six, which is a size less than our british one.

My heart goes out to these girls and boys, I have been there, I have friends who are Bulimic and Anorexic. It is a daily battle to disregard what we see when we look in the mirror, it is a battle to make sure that you eat, the correct amounts, but it is a battle I am glad I found the strength to fight. Had I not I would not be here now.

I have lingering effects from the illness, Osteoporosis is one, I am one of the lucky ones that recognised what was happening to me and did something about it, despite being told I was a fat cow, when I reached a size 10. I battled on and though like alcoholism, you have to resist that temtation to slide, I am finding the battle is not as hard as it was at the beginning.

But, the young do not want to listen because beauty is being a size zero, with death just around the corner, is it really worth it?

Is this the new parenting rules? I was actually amazed these people didnt get sentenced?

Toddler fight family spared jail

Carole Olver told police she was 'toughening up' the children
A mother who goaded her two toddlers to fight each other on video camera has received a 12-month suspended sentence, along with her mother and two sisters.
Zara Olver, 21, her 48-year-old mother Carole, and sisters Serenza Olver, 29, and Danielle Olver, 19, all admitted child cruelty at Plymouth Crown Court.

In the footage, a boy in a nappy was called a "wimp" for not hitting his sister back after she struck him.

The women are heard laughing as the children are urged to fight.

The footage was found by chance by the toddlers' father who was on Army leave.

Anyone watching this footage... would have been sickened and saddened

Det Sgt Barry Walters

The boy, aged two, is seen crying after being punched in the face by his three-year-old sister and is told by one of the four women in the room "not to be a wimp or a faggot" and to hit the girl back.

The court heard that, when interviewed by police, Carole Olver said: "I didn't see any harm in toughening them up - I done the same with my own children."

Zara Olver pleaded guilty to causing or procuring the children to be ill treated in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury.

The women were told they posed no risk to society
Her mother and sisters pleaded guilty to jointly inciting the ill treatment of children.

Judge Francis Gilbert gave all four women, from North Prospect in Plymouth, a one-year suspended sentence, saying they posed no risk to the public.

He also ordered the four to do 100 hours of unpaid work and banned them from working with children.

The children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are in the care of the parents of their father.

The case came to court after the father returned from a posting in Iraq and found the images on a video camera.

He reported the matter to social services in Plymouth who alerted the police's child protection unit.

Prosecutor David Gittins told the court that the father described the footage to police as being "like a dog fight".

"He was reduced to tears," Mr Gittins said.

"What he saw was not two children playing, but an eight-minute film of them being forced to fight."

Speaking after the case, investigating officer Det Sgt Barry Walters said: "Anyone watching this footage showing grown adults encouraging very young children committing unnatural acts would have been sickened and saddened.

"We have been in touch with child protection teams across the country and to my knowledge this is the first time that something like this has ever gone to court."

Michelle Elliott, director of children's charity Kidscape, said: "Quite frankly if there was an offence that deserved even 12 months in prison this was it.

"What they've done is send a message that this isn't a very serious thing and they've walked free. I think most people are outraged by that."

Carol Oliver said she was toughening up the children

Women said to 'not pose a threat to society'

So you bring your children up to use their fists and anything they can get hold of to win an argument, you let them think that this is the right way to behave and thats not a threat to society??

Someone somewhere wants parenting lessons! ?

We have all seen the news, we have all read the lord knows how many blogs about it, and we are probably all fed up of reading/seeing/hearing about it.

The shootings in America, another episode in the wrangle of the gun laws, another mass killing spree, another gunman in the history books. Eight years after the worst high school massacre in columbine where 15 students died. This one surpasses that with a toll of at least thirty (dependant upon which news you read/watch) the question is not why did he do this, I am sure they will have a dozen psychologists/Psychiatrists picking apart his home life and his relationships and telling you how he came to do what he did.

The question is how, how did he manage to gun down two people and then two hours later massacre another 30? Why was the campus not closed? Why was he not being sought? Why were there not already police there?

The excuse it appeared to be a domestic, does not hold water folks. Have you learned nothing over these past eight to ten years? You have a volatile situation where an obviously dangerous, disturbed perpetrator has a gun or two, on a student campus, and you dont close it down?

It appears to be a domestic, what you knew that for certain? Have you become so innured to this kind of thing that 'it appears to be a domestic' is treated in the same way as oh I seem to have cut my finger?

Has the fact that others have killed their families and then go on to murder in a mass frenzie as the two teenagers did eight yers ago in Columbine, not entered the equation at all? Did you learn nothing from that?

The problem is will the questions be answered? The survivors of this weeks murders are asking them, but are the authorities asking them?

In my opinion this killing spree could have been prevented, less people would have died, less parents would now be mourning, if the authorities had looked to the lessons of the past instead of shrugging it off as 'Only a domestic'

We all know about Abortion, some of us will be Pro and some will be Anti, it is one of the few topics that just about everyone has an opinion on.

The opinion is usually formed through religious reasons, personal viewpoint and/or experience, upbringing, informed knowledge? There are many reasons why people take the stance they do.

Once Abortion was illegal, it was seen as murder, the taking of a Human life. So what changed?

Lets look at some facts

In 1803 Abortion carried the death penalty if they were carried out after the Quickening 16-20 weeks,at that time this is when movement is thought to begin.

in 1837 they removed the distinction between the before and after 'Quickening' making all abortion illegal

In 1861 this was changed to Life Imprisonment but was extended to include the person who carried out the Abortion as well as the mother

In 1929 the law was once again changed, due to there being cases of the need for Abortion due to medical reasons, this had to be done before 28 weeks. However the law wasn't clear on whether it was legal to abort for other reasons, the Foetus was at this time classed as viable at 28 weeks.

1936: The Abortion Law Reform Association (ALRA) was established; its aim was to campaign for the legalisation of abortion.

1938: Dr. Alex Bourne was acquitted of having performed an illegal abortion. This set a case-law precedent.
He had performed an abortion on a fourteen year old who had been gang raped and was suicidal. Thus the law was changed again to allow for mental and medical abortions.

The law went on being challenged throughout the 50's and into the sixties, and in 1967 the Abortion Act came into being legalising abortiion under certains conditions it came into effect in 1968.

The time limit still stood at 28 weeks until 1990 when the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act came into force and it was then lowered to 24 weeks.

However the controversy still rages about when a Foetus is considered to be a living being, hence the Anti-abortionists who claim that it is murder at any time as once the egg is fertilised it is a living being.

One of the main reasons that Abortion became legal, was to save lives. Having laws preventing it did not prevent pregnancies, back street abortionists and self abortions killed many women through things such as Septicimia, haemorrhaging, lead poisoning (This was caused by an apprent menstrual blocking potion that was lead based) women were blinded and mutilated by back street abortionists and potions.

There were 46 million abortions last year, that is approximately 126,000 per day.

Only 22% of those were carried out in developed countries, 78% in countries that are developing.

26 million women obtain legal abortions per year, 20 million are carried out in places where it is restricted or prohibited by law.

The ages of people having abortions 52% are younger than 25
32% 20-24
20% Teenagers
1.2% Girls under 15.

93% of Abortions occur for social reasons i.e. It is inconveniant or unwanted.

One of the main arguments for Anti abortionists after the life issue is that of rights, namely the fathers, basically he doesn't have any. He has no say over the life or death of the Foetus, the argument being that it is not his body that has to incubate the foetus and until it is born it is the sole right of the carrier to make the decisions.

Now it is over to you, should abortion be so easy to access?

Should there be more stringent guidelines?

Should the Father have the right to have a say?

What is your opinion on the subject?

”Life on Death Row can be guaranteed to change a man. If we can assume that Caryl Chessman, despite his denials, really was the Red Light Bandit, he came into Death Row as a monster… and died 12 years later as a civilised, urbane human being.

This transformation has been echoed by many other long-term prisoners as the clock ticked their lives away. The character of the man sentenced to death and the character of the man who eventually dies are often light years apart. To the unbiased eye, they appear as two totally different people.”

Taken from “On Death Row” by Mike James.

Has rehabilitation worked? Do these people actually deserve to die if they have shown they really have learnt from their mistake?

Should there be some clemency? Should the sentence be transmuted to life imprisonment with or without the chance for parole?