Ministry Of Preventative Crime

Welcome to the Left-wing inspired world of Britain's Big Brother.

Council staff, charity workers and doctors could be required by law to tip off police about anyone they believe could commit a violent crime.

There's more-

The Home Office proposals, leaked to the Times newspaper, insist public bodies have "valuable information" that could identify potential offenders.

Possible warning signs could include heavy drinking, mental health problems or a violent family background.

But they aren't just looking for potential criminals here- people who will have committed no crime and yet on the say-so of some government employee made subject to great scrutiny- but also potential victims. So, just about everybody really.

The leaked document states: "Public bodies will have access to valuable information about people at risk of becoming either perpetrators or victims of serious violence."

It says when staff become "sufficiently concerned" about an individual, that person should be should "risk assessed" and, if necessary, referred for further attention.

Mr King suggests two new agencies be created - one to collate reports on potential offenders, the other on potential victims.

And just in case anyone thinks that what other people might be thinking about doing is none of their business, these efforts are going to be made compulsory.

New laws would also be needed to place staff under a statutory obligation to report any concerns, he adds.

So, want to hold down your job? Worried that you might be made a criminal if you don't mention something and then a person you've come into contact with commits a crime or is the victim of a crime? Sounds like a sure-fire recipe for a reasoned and impartial approach. And the question remains unanswered- what will happen to those people who are deemed to be worthy of "further attention"?

Seems to me that the government might be better served tackling actual crime- you know, catching real criminals who have already broken the law and then locking them away so that they can't commit any more crimes- rather than attempting to pre-empt it by creating another massive bureaucracy. The sole purpose of which is to tackle imaginary crimes.