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How adult learning can make a difference
1:00pm Wednesday 21st May 2008
Comments (57)
AS classmates downed their first pint on their 18th birthdays, alcoholic Gary James was already a heroin-addicted school drop-out facing three years in prison.
While his friends played football after school Gary was stealing to fund his habit which ranged from £30 to in excess of £100 a day.
i would in the gutter if I had not been given another crack at education
Gary James
But after spending more than half of his adult life in prison Gary, now 30, has turned his life around and thrown himself into education.
The father-of-three has been honoured with an Adult Learners' achievement award after dedicating the last three years to becoming a fitness instructor through Swindon College.
"I destroyed my youth with drink, drugs and crime and because of that I thought I would never live to see my 30th birthday," he said.
"But now here I am, getting qualified and giving myself the respect I deserved from the start. I would still be in the gutter if it wasn't for getting another crack at education."
Now living in the Railway Village with partner Adele and children Benjamen, five, Ave, two and Cora, seven months, his life is a far cry from that of his friends who continued down the road of self destruction.
"Many of my friends have died in the street," he said. "I've lost mates to drug overdoses and drug-related violence and even out of those who have survived many will spend the rest of their lives in prison.
"That won't be me any more. I missed my boy's birth because I was banged up but I have promised all my children that I will be there for everything from now on."
During his childhood Gary was expelled from three primary schools and five secondary schools.
By the time he was due to take his GCSEs he was already serving a three-year sentence at a young offenders' institution.
But, after getting out of prison at 27, Gary realised something had to change, so he signed up to Swindon College's Adult Learning Programme at North Star Campus.
Gary finished the first year of his National Diploma in Outdoor Recreation with the highest ever grades for the course.
He then progressed on to the national diploma in sport and outdoor education and volunteers for Swindon Town, working with the Twilight football unit.
He has now been asked to be a director for Stepping Forward, a facility for vulnerable youngsters based at St John's Church in Whitbourne Avenue.
There, he plans to use his experience to help troubled youngsters in the same position he found himself in as a teenager.
He said: "What I did to myself was regrettable. It's sad it ever got like that and I know I am lucky to be alive and have a family who love me.
"But if something can come out of the misery I caused myself and others, it's that I can help others who start to find themselves going down that path. If kids turn round to me and say what do you know about it' I can say, I know that I am lucky that I lived to tell the tale'."
Your Say YourSwindon Advertiser
Frontier(s), says...
8:35am Wed 21 May 08
Did the taxpayer get forced to bend over backwards to allow them three children and thousands of pounds worth of free education?
Or did they just get a leaflet from 'Victim Support' and be expected to get on with it?
doug@homefarm, SN1 says...
8:41am Wed 21 May 08
swindonlad, swindon says...
9:28am Wed 21 May 08
if he manages this i think he has paid more back to society than doing time again when he would have come out & more than likely started steeling again to feed his habit bold
Maiden, Swindon says...
1:17pm Wed 21 May 08
Frontier(s), says...
1:30pm Wed 21 May 08
doug@homefarm wrote:And it doesn't surprise me at all that you don't give a monkeys about his victims.
Big Mac, given that it is highly unlikely that he has a clue who is victims were, I could have been one of them, it is immpossible for him to make repparation to them individually. However by the way he has pulled himself together and is working with youngsters, I believe that this is a true case of rehabilitation for which he and society as a whole benefits, He should be congratulated, but you and a number of other posters will just carp and snipe at him for the rest of the day.
He has done well with his life, yes, and should be congratulated.
I just don't like the way his previous crimes and victims are brushed aside as if they don't actually matter.
emmylou83, Stratton says...
1:43pm Wed 21 May 08
Brad, says...
1:53pm Wed 21 May 08
Pav, Swindon says...
2:00pm Wed 21 May 08
"I would still be in the gutter if it wasn't for getting another crack at education."
:)
doug@homefarm, SN1 says...
2:04pm Wed 21 May 08
Frontier(s) wrote:Did I say I couldn't give a monkeys about the victims? No I didn't. I'm not pushing his crimes aside, he has been punished under due process of the law, but as always you want more than that. Given what he's doing now far outways any wrongdoing of the past.
doug@homefarm wrote: Big Mac, given that it is highly unlikely that he has a clue who is victims were, I could have been one of them, it is immpossible for him to make repparation to them individually. However by the way he has pulled himself together and is working with youngsters, I believe that this is a true case of rehabilitation for which he and society as a whole benefits, He should be congratulated, but you and a number of other posters will just carp and snipe at him for the rest of the day.And it doesn't surprise me at all that you don't give a monkeys about his victims. He has done well with his life, yes, and should be congratulated. I just don't like the way his previous crimes and victims are brushed aside as if they don't actually matter.
Taxpower, Swinetown says...
2:20pm Wed 21 May 08
Frontier(s) wrote:you are right and confirm the good old adage of guilt admitted half forgiven that still applies in Courts.
doug@homefarm wrote: Big Mac, given that it is highly unlikely that he has a clue who is victims were, I could have been one of them, it is immpossible for him to make repparation to them individually. However by the way he has pulled himself together and is working with youngsters, I believe that this is a true case of rehabilitation for which he and society as a whole benefits, He should be congratulated, but you and a number of other posters will just carp and snipe at him for the rest of the day.And it doesn't surprise me at all that you don't give a monkeys about his victims. He has done well with his life, yes, and should be congratulated. I just don't like the way his previous crimes and victims are brushed aside as if they don't actually matter.
It is great to see a career criminal turning his life round, but should the Justice system kept him locked up long enough, there would have been far less victims.
Taxpower, Swinetown says...
2:23pm Wed 21 May 08
Frontier(s) wrote:110% on the same brainwave
And what about the victims of his numerous crimes? Did the taxpayer get forced to bend over backwards to allow them three children and thousands of pounds worth of free education? Or did they just get a leaflet from 'Victim Support' and be expected to get on with it?
AllyT, Swindon says...
4:08pm Wed 21 May 08
s on turning your life around, and good luck with trying to help others to do the same thing.
AllyT, Swindon says...
4:10pm Wed 21 May 08
AllyT, Swindon says...
4:19pm Wed 21 May 08
AllyT, Swindon says...
4:21pm Wed 21 May 08
AllyT, Swindon says...
4:21pm Wed 21 May 08
Frontier(s), says...
4:25pm Wed 21 May 08
Whose fault was it he missed his son's birth?
Him, and only him. He had a choice.
His victims didn't.
tim, Swindon says...
4:42pm Wed 21 May 08
tim, Swindon says...
4:43pm Wed 21 May 08
doug@homefarm, SN1 says...
4:54pm Wed 21 May 08
Taxpower, Swinetown says...
5:07pm Wed 21 May 08
doug@homefarm wrote:On this basis we should embrace the would be suicide bombers after their time and give them all the support they need. I think thats a little step too far for many of us including me to swallow that pill
No one has used his sons birth as an excuse, infact Emmylou made the point of it was an event he deeply regrets missing. He is not making any excuses for his past, and as far as I can see nor is any other poster. Yes of course his victims deserve a though as indeed do all victims of crime, but what do you suggest should be done. Never give him another chance because of the past. He has been judged and dealt with in courts of law. That is now over, he is looking to make the future good for himself, his family and even more importantly for kids who may be going the way he was in the past. That can be no bad thing for society as a whole.
Taxpower, Swinetown says...
5:08pm Wed 21 May 08
doug@homefarm wrote:On this basis we should embrace the would be suicide bombers after their time and give them all the support they need. I think thats a little step too far for many of us including me to swallow that pill
No one has used his sons birth as an excuse, infact Emmylou made the point of it was an event he deeply regrets missing. He is not making any excuses for his past, and as far as I can see nor is any other poster. Yes of course his victims deserve a though as indeed do all victims of crime, but what do you suggest should be done. Never give him another chance because of the past. He has been judged and dealt with in courts of law. That is now over, he is looking to make the future good for himself, his family and even more importantly for kids who may be going the way he was in the past. That can be no bad thing for society as a whole.
HoneyPie, The Shire says...
5:20pm Wed 21 May 08
Unfortunately, sometimes human nature allows us to get caught up in a downwards spiral and often a drug of some sort is at the root of it. Yes, they could have said 'no', that's easy for you or I to say, but I presume you and I are not in that situation.
Yes, there are victims who have been hurt by all this, including - I suspect - his family as well.
He has been sent to prison as punishment for these crimes and instead of continuing down the same road of self-destruction, he has turned his life around and is working positively to help other youngsters who are in danger of following the same road, hopefully helping to prevent the creation of more victims.
This is probably the best and only way of making reparations for his past crimes and shows genuine remorse.
In reality - and in a civilised society - what more could he do?
Frontier(s), says...
7:43pm Wed 21 May 08
Oh, to be so perfect.
No, just hard working, law abiding and not stealing, robbing, mugging others.
Is it really that hard not to be a criminal these days.
Yes, there are victims who have been hurt by all this, including - I suspect - his family as well.
Oh, please, spare me.
You don't give a monkeys about his victims - let's be honest - you just feel all warm inside because ONE criminal (out of hundreds of thousands) has apparently managed not to reoffend for a while.
HoneyPie, The Shire says...
8:17pm Wed 21 May 08
It's so easy for you to criticise. It's all you ever seem to do. But what is your solution? In the real world?
Lock everyone away who has committed a crime, large or small? Or would extermination be your bag?
And where would this line be drawn on the seriousness of a crime? Would it be have to be anything worse than you have ever committed, so that you can stand in judgement?
Are you such a magnificently good person that you have never done something that has hurt someone else that you later regretted?
So how would the Frontier(s) world be ruled? No forgiveness for anyone? Rather a harsh regime, methinks.
Robert Feal-Martinez, Swindon says...
8:32pm Wed 21 May 08
vigil, swindon says...
8:51pm Wed 21 May 08
NO.
The major working tax payers are paving his way just as we were when he was in prison.
But this guy has come Good.
And he will put something special into our society I am sure - because he feels he has come to a point where he CAN, and wants to put something into England now he's got his head together.
(Unlike most EU immigrants - who want to take what's special (£££) and take it back to where they came from.)
Mumstheword, Walcot says...
8:54pm Wed 21 May 08
sashstaff, Swindon says...
9:37pm Wed 21 May 08
Let you taxpayers support them for life (£200+ a week each), I say, if you continue to be so judgemental.
Frontier(s), says...
11:52pm Wed 21 May 08
The problem, as so evidently displayed in this thread, is that lots of people seem happy to indulge these people. Happy to spend their money on them. Happy to encourage them.
And then the weasly, mealy mouthed nonsense about them 'caring' about these people's victims come all too easily.
If they truly 'cared' about the victims, they'd try to prevent those people ever becoming victims - not swoon all over criminals who finally get too old to be dirty little thieves and realise they'd better try and get establish a real life for themselves.
People like HoneyPie will never realise/accept that they're no better than the criminals themselves. Especially as they no doubt espouse their 'help the criminal' nonsense from the safety of a nice, safe internet connection.
Frontier(s), says...
11:55pm Wed 21 May 08
So how would the Frontier(s) world be ruled? No forgiveness for anyone? Rather a harsh regime, methinks.
I'd attempt to stop people being as childish and black/white as you, that'd be the first thing.
Neil, Swindon says...
8:41am Thu 22 May 08
Congratulations to him on being able to escape from prison with a family, education and a job.
Now let me ask a question.. When he was in prison what other option did he have, he most certainly couldn't go around stealing to fund his addiction, instead he was given a free education. Perhaps I could go to prison so that I could get a better education that I wouldn't be able to afford?!?!?
The victims of his crime have suffered and will continue to suffer (I have been a victim of crime, theft and violent) The victims didn't get "rehabilitated" and handed a free education.
But what I would say, is that I can't knock the fact that he has stayed off the drugs since coming out of prison and is there for his family now, and I hope that continues.
What is at fault is the system, criminals get rewarded whilst victims continue to be punished.
BWB, SWINDON says...
8:43am Thu 22 May 08
CAST THE FIRST STONE.
Well done Gary.
eminencegris, swindon says...
9:55am Thu 22 May 08
No one here who has welcomed the news that Gary James has turned his life around has congratulated him at the expense of his victim. Being the victim's self-styled champion, in reality, is nothing more than posturing.
Taxpower, Swinetown says...
10:05am Thu 22 May 08
HoneyPie wrote:I am in favour of a harsh regime like Frontier, however, I would like to spice the sentence with a bit of Saudi spirit.
Of course I care about his victims. But you can't change what has already happened. Face reality. All you can do is try to make sure it doesn't happen again, which is what he is trying to do. It's so easy for you to criticise. It's all you ever seem to do. But what is your solution? In the real world? Lock everyone away who has committed a crime, large or small? Or would extermination be your bag? And where would this line be drawn on the seriousness of a crime? Would it be have to be anything worse than you have ever committed, so that you can stand in judgement? Are you such a magnificently good person that you have never done something that has hurt someone else that you later regretted? So how would the Frontier(s) world be ruled? No forgiveness for anyone? Rather a harsh regime, methinks.
Without one or two hands, am sure this guy would have had problems re-offending and breeding more social retards
Taxpower, Swinetown says...
10:08am Thu 22 May 08
eminencegris wrote:How about the guys that escape justice for 10-15-20 years, turned their lives round and then one day thanks to DNA they get caught and go to Jail. You think that is Posturing also?
The problem for Frontier and others is that the successful rehabilitation of a criminal makes a mockery of their hardline stance, to the extent that they would prefer Mr James to (eventually) leave prison no different to the person who entered it, back on smack and heading straight back to prison. What's the sense in that? No one here who has welcomed the news that Gary James has turned his life around has congratulated him at the expense of his victim. Being the victim's self-styled champion, in reality, is nothing more than posturing.
doug@homefarm, SN1 says...
10:11am Thu 22 May 08
Vigil what a lot of contradictory twaddle. We shall discuss it further at the Steam Beer Fest I think!
doug@homefarm, SN1 says...
10:24am Thu 22 May 08
Taxpower wrote:No, thses is telling people that if you do the crime then there is a good chance that eventually you'll do the time. No one is suggesting that a criminal (nazi war criminals excepted)who has finally been brought to book should be set free due to the fact that they may have behaved themselves for some twenty odd years. However I'm sure that would be taken into consideration at sentencing.
eminencegris wrote: The problem for Frontier and others is that the successful rehabilitation of a criminal makes a mockery of their hardline stance, to the extent that they would prefer Mr James to (eventually) leave prison no different to the person who entered it, back on smack and heading straight back to prison. What's the sense in that? No one here who has welcomed the news that Gary James has turned his life around has congratulated him at the expense of his victim. Being the victim's self-styled champion, in reality, is nothing more than posturing.How about the guys that escape justice for 10-15-20 years, turned their lives round and then one day thanks to DNA they get caught and go to Jail. You think that is Posturing also?
emmylou83, Stratton says...
10:31am Thu 22 May 08
breeding more social retards
So all criminals breed social retards then???
doug@homefarm, SN1 says...
10:32am Thu 22 May 08
Cheers
Frontier(s), says...
11:19am Thu 22 May 08
eminencegris wrote:
Being the victim's self-styled champion, in reality, is nothing more than posturing.
What a very illuminating comment.
You fall over yourself to help and champion criminals yet feel anyone standing up for the rights of victims is merely 'posturing'.
My mother, sister and I have all been victims of crime (two of them serious) within the last three years.
I can assure you, my dislike of criminals and belief that they're treated far better than their victims is as far from 'posturing' as it can get.
As for your comments about rehabilitation, Jesus, what do you want? Criminals to get a medal just because they finally manage to not break laws?
eminencegris, swindon says...
2:00pm Thu 22 May 08
As for me 'falling over myself to champion criminals', well that's nonsense. I've not suggested at any point that Mr James didn't deserve his punishment, neither would I, but what do you wish we had done with him? I'm sorry that you and your family have been victims of crime, but that gives you no greater insight into the relative treatment of offenders and their victims. Have you been denied the opportunities Gary James chose to seize upon during his incarceration? If you believe, as you say you do, that they are treated far better than their victims, would you have preferred to spend the last three years in prison? Thought not.
Finally...what is the purpose of your last paragraph? It's a gross distortion of my comment, as you well know. Medals? No one is suggesting anything like it. The chance of rehabilitation and reintegration into society? What's so wrong with that?
Frontier(s), says...
2:15pm Thu 22 May 08
I'm sorry that you and your family have been victims of crime, but that gives you no greater insight into the relative treatment of offenders and their victims.
How can being a victim of a crime not give you more insight into how victims of crime are treated than a person who hasn't been a victim of crime? That's completely nonsensical.
Have you been denied the opportunities Gary James chose to seize upon during his incarceration?
Well, in theory, yes, because I have a living to earn and don't have all day, every day, to go on training courses etc. Also, I would not qualify for any of the free training etc. that I've helped pay for in the case of Mr James. Slightly ironic, but that's the problem with the system these days.
HoneyPie, The Shire says...
2:50pm Thu 22 May 08
In asking you what your solution would be was not childish or black and white. It was trying to find out what your answer is to this. If anyone steps over the agreed line, they must be punished forever? Where is your line? These are reasonable questions, surely, to elicit a reasonable answer?
Or is it just that if we dare to disagree with your arguably extreme views, we are all lily-livered bleeding-heart liberals?
Unfortunately, it is you that appears to view everything in black & white - you offer no shades of opinion. If in doubt, talk about how much tax we are all paying to support these people...
In your own post, you say that if we cared about the victims, we'd try to prevent those people ever becoming victims. This is what this man is trying to do by working with kids who might be tempted to go the same way. A contradiction here, surely? Do you tar all criminals with the same brush, regardless of crime?
So Judge Frontier(s), what is your solution?
Frontier(s), says...
3:35pm Thu 22 May 08
Expecting convicted criminals to receive appropriate sentences?
Not supporting a judiciary that considers itself in social work rather than justice?
Not being spectacularly impressed if/when criminals stop breaking the law?
Preferring that the authorities put the rights of the public and victims of crime before the rights of criminals?
I am firmly behind the idea that criminals should be rehabilitated (where possible) and I am firmly in agreement that it's better for criminals to stop breaking the law than to continue to break it.
I'd suggest that all of the above are positive views.
Do you tar all criminals with the same brush, regardless of crime?
No, of course not. A pensioner jailed for non-payment of Council Tax is hardly the same as a repeat burglar who steals to fund a drug habit.
HoneyPie, The Shire says...
4:17pm Thu 22 May 08
You say you are behind rehabilitating criminals where possible. I think this is a case where this is happening - you don't have to be spectacularly impressed by it, but you also don't have to be quite so hard on the guy.
We don't have to put out the bunting and have a party, but we could acknowledge that he is trying to make amends for what he has done.
Frontier(s), says...
4:30pm Thu 22 May 08
He has done well with his life, yes, and should be congratulated.
I think what staggered me most on this thread were people feeling sorry for him that he missed his son's birth... when nobody but him was responsible for him missing it because he was in prison.
eminencegris, swindon says...
4:41pm Thu 22 May 08
I don't think anyone here has been 'spectacularly impressed' by Mr James' choosing to turn his back on a life of crime, but surely you would agree that it's worth reporting? He might not be a role model, but if he makes one person stop and think (he just might, you never know) then the Adver's done a good job.
Frontier(s), says...
4:54pm Thu 22 May 08
They genuinely do seem to believe they're there to act as social workers for criminals rather than to do the job we pay them to do, which is to sentence according to the legal guidelines.
Even when they do, you can rest assured they only ever hand down custodial sentences at the minimum tariff end of the spectrum.
Only today we read of a young criminal who held a gun to the head of a child he robbed.
UK law dictates a mandatory five-year jail term on criminal conviction of gun possession.
Our judge passed a sentence of just three years.
The same judge will no doubt shortly proclaim his 'disgust' at the rising tide of gun crime in this country.
Honestly, it's just pathetic now. It's no longer even remotely amusing how deluded and clueless these people are.
Taxpower, Swinetown says...
5:26pm Thu 22 May 08
emmylou83 wrote:with a bit of genetic knowlege you will know that Criminals have a genetic profile running through their family. Sometimes it is dormant but it is triggered by certain events.
breeding more social retardsSo all criminals breed social retards then???
So yes, criminals breed social retards = future criminals
eminencegris, swindon says...
6:48pm Thu 22 May 08
"Yes, there is a gene for crime. It's the gene that leads the very early embryo, which is nearly always female, into the path of being male. It's the male gene. Almost all criminals are male. That shows what happens if you pursue this argument to its logical conclusion.Crime is inherited. Many children who grow up to be criminals turn out to have had fathers who were criminals. But it doesn't mean crime is encoded into DNA, that a specific propensity to rob, kill, embezzle, rape or mug courses through criminals' veins.
"Look at Australia. If there was a gene for crime, Australian blood would be thick with it, passed down from the high proportion of criminals among their founding fathers. Yet Australia is an exceptionally calm and ordered society."
Whose your source, Taxpower?
irritated, swindon says...
6:56pm Thu 22 May 08
LordBelacqua, Swindon says...
11:03am Fri 23 May 08
Taxpower wrote:So, you consider yourself to have genetic knowledge huh? With a claim like that?
emmylou83 wrote:with a bit of genetic knowlege you will know that Criminals have a genetic profile running through their family. Sometimes it is dormant but it is triggered by certain events. So yes, criminals breed social retards = future criminalsbreeding more social retardsSo all criminals breed social retards then???
Please.
Sara, Oxfordshire says...
12:02pm Fri 23 May 08
Sara, Oxfordshire says...
12:09pm Fri 23 May 08
I Too Could Be a Councillor, Swindon says...
5:02pm Fri 23 May 08
Taxpower and Frontier need to have a think about what they are trying to achieve. To merely posture and pontificate with a self-righteous 'are we the only ones who care about our failing society' air merely alienates others and undermines the position they are trying to hold.
That's very true, but now you'll probably be accused of being a member of The Labour Party
Gary James
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KJ, Work says...
8:25am Wed 21 May 08