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Update 1.3.04.
“No drug tests in Scottish schools: Jack McConnell has been forced to ditch plans for random drug testing and sniffer dogs in schools by his deputy, the Liberal Democrat leader Jim Wallace. The first minister dropped the measures, proposed by Tony Blair for schools in England and Wales, after Wallace said they were too draconian [. . .] Faced with the prospect of a humiliating parliamentary defeat on an unpopular issue, Peter Peacock, the education minister, last week wrote to headteachers assuring them the idea had been dropped . . .” Times
Update posted on 24.2.04.
“Drugs testing has more negatives than positives” Scotsman 25.2.04.
“Heads consulted on drug testing: Head teachers are to be asked if they want more powers to tackle drug taking in their schools. Education Minister Peter Peacock is writing to the Head Teachers Association to ask if random drug testing would be a useful tool in the fight against drugs. . .” BBC
“Scots pupils face random drug tests” Daily Record
“Scots fears over Blair’s plan for random drug-testing in schools” The prospect of head teachers getting powers to order random drug-testing of pupils in Scottish schools met with wide-spread concern last night . . .” Press and Journal
“Why drug-testing of children won’t work” Scotsman. Opinion.
Following posted on 23.2.04 at 3.03pm.
“School drugs tests ‘unworkable’: Parents’ and teachers’ leaders have dismissed possible plans for random drug testing in Scottish schools. It follows Prime Minister Tony Blair’s announcement that guidance is to be issued to heads for testing in England. . .” BBC
“Parents criticise Labour plans to drug-test pupils: Parents last night criticised Scottish Executive support for Tony Blair?s plan to combat drug use in school with random urine tests for pupils and use of sniffer dogs. Alan Smith, the chairman of the Scottish School Boards Association, called the Prime Minister?s plans unworkable and said they would turn teachers into prison wardens. . .” Scotsman
“Random drug tests for Scots pupils: Scots schoolkids will face random drug tests under new plans being considered by ministers. The Executive confirmed they would study moves to give head teachers in England powers to test for drugs at school. . .” Daily Record
“Yes - I back random drug-testing in our schools: Tony Blair has sensationally urged schools across Britain to introduce random drug-testing following the News of the World’s chilling exposé ¯f the growing menace in our classrooms. . .” News of the World
“Pupil drug-test plans slammed: Controversial plans which could see random drug tests introduced for pupils in Scottish schools have been criticised as ‘nonsensical’. The plans were slammed by unions, parents’ organisations and opposition politicians after the Scottish Executive admitted it would monitor new guidelines for England revealed by the Prime Minister . . .” Evening Times
Posted by MM on Mon 1st Mar 2004 at 2:35 pm“University will offer places to ex-offenders: Ex-offenders are to be offered places at an Edinburgh university in a bid to break down the barriers faced by people with convictions when applying for further education courses. The pioneering move will see those with a criminal record integrated with students at Napier University in a range of courses from business to nursing . . .” Scotsman
“The write way forward: Aged 16 and the father of a one-year-old child, Brian was a rather pathetic looking young man when he came to the attention of the Apex Learning Support Worker in Polmont Young Offenders? Institution [. . .] The Apex Learning Support Worker based in Polmont Young Offenders? Institution worked with 119 young men between January and December 2003, of whom 91 completed their work with her in that period. So far, we know that 35 of them took up local literacy support programmes on release [. . .] Even more encouraging is the fact that only three of them have returned to Polmont at the time of writing - not because of offending since release, but because of outstanding charges . . .” Scotsman. Bernadette Monaghan. 24..2.04.
See also
Napier University
Apex Scotland
HMP Polmont
Posted by MM on Mon 1st Mar 2004 at 2:31 pm
“Crime loses appeal for young lawyers: Fears are growing that the public’s access to justice will be reduced to a lottery as law graduates and experienced lawyers abandon criminal legal aid work. There has been a 16% fall in lawyers registering for legal aid work since 1999, reflecting fears expressed by the profession when a fixed fee system was introduced . . .” Herald
Posted by MM on Mon 1st Mar 2004 at 2:30 pm“E-crime costing banks millions: Millions of online bank customers could be in danger from a growing new internet scam known as “phishing” [. . .] Det Chief Superintendent Len Hynds, the head of the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU), told an e-crime conference in London last week that cases of phishing had increased from seven in 2002 to more than 50 in 2003 - and the criminals were becoming more sophisticated . . .” Scotsman
See also
National Hi-Tech Crime Unit