SPOTLIGHT ON: CRIME

SPOTLIGHT ON: CRIME

Let's have a look at how the candidates shape up on the subject of CRIME.

LABOUR
With the Anti-Social Behaviour Act, Labour has introduced new powers to tackle the menace of nuisance neighbours, kids causing trouble and drugs in our communities.

Iain Wright wants more ASBO's against yobs and fines on litter louts. He has launched a "Shop-a-Yob" hotline to encourage local people to report troublemakers and anti-social behaviour in their neighbourhood.


CONSERVATIVE
Hartlepool has some of the highest crime figures in the country. Violent crime has increased by 225% since 1999 and drug addiction in the town is double the national average.

Jeremy Middleton claims to be the only candidate committed to tackling crime head on. "My 5 point contract with the people of Hartlepool promises real action. 460 more police for the Hartlepool area, a zero tolerance approach to crime, a choice for hard drug users - rehab or prison - a clamp down on drunken yob culture and tougher use of prison sentences."


LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
Local people will be shocked to learn that there are as few as 12
police officers on duty of a weekend for the whole town. It therefore comes as no surprise that so many people say that they have not seen a police officer for over six months.

Jody Dunn has today called for more police on the beat to make Hartlepool a safer place. "If elected as your MP, policing in Hartlepool will be at the top of my agenda - more police, greater personal security, making people feel safer."


UK INDEPENDENCE PARTY
ASBO's take up police time, cost public money and less than three were issued in Hartlepool last year.

Stephen Allison believes the answer is that parents should bring up
their children to respect other people's rights and property. If they can't then they should bear the cost and the consequences.


RESPECT
Resources must be provided to help young people to turn their lives around. What if instead of youths on street corners, we had youth clubs and community skate parks.

We must find sensible and practical ways to live harmoniously together. Let's start by giving everybody Respect.


ENGLISH DEMOCRATS
Criminals should be deterred by appropriate punishment without Blunkett-style anti-libertarian gimmicks.

If English taxpayers didn't have to pay a subsidy to Scotland, there would be more money available to fund our police.


PHIL BERRIMAN
City crime is sophisticated fraud by educated suits, we don't fear it but it amounts to billions.

Hard drugs fuel most crime. The only solution is FREE, supervised heroin in centres for addicts. We'll never stop drugs but can take addicts/crime off the streets.


RONNIE CARROLL
We need to switch from parer money to a secure cashless society.
Those who engage in anti-social behaviour must be made to see the error of their ways.


SOCIALIST LABOUR PARTY
Every other political party supports capitalism, a system based on the legalisation of theft. For "profit" read "theft".

All the robocop zero-tolerance gimmicks of the day will not challenge the root causes of crime. Social and economic regeneration, allied to community-based policing will.


THE COMMON GOOD PARTY
The answer to drugs and anti-social behaviour is for people to find something to devote their lives to which is more satisfying and wholesome than the kick of taking drugs.

We need a disciplined society and a new spirit of service with Britain playing a full part in making the world a fairer place.


GREEN PARTY
People are entitled to feel safe on the streets and in their own homes.

Iris Ryder has completed a Home Office Crime Reduction course in order to help in a Community Safety Partnership in Hartlepool.


NATIONAL FRONT
Hartlepool has the highest number of hard drug addicts and highest crime rate in Britain. These two statistics always go hand in hand and are problems directly caused by social deprivation in a long forgotten and neglected area, the net result of lack of government investment.

I demand zero tolerance policing to cure the crime and drugs problem and funding for a rehabilitation and education programme.


FATHERS 4 JUSTICE
One hundred children per day lose contact with their fathers in the family courts and we are now suffering the consequences, with an increase in crime, anti-social behaviour and drugs problems.

We will make sure there is a legal presumption of contact with both parents and their extended family and stop the rot.


OFFICIAL MONSTER RAVING LOONY PARTY
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