A Good Question from Mrs S

A good question from a contributor:

 

'Has it ever occurred to you to wonder why you always get the same response when you write your standard criticism of modern policing?'

 

Yes. And it is striking that the response never includes a reasoned attempt to rebut what I have actually said, but imputes to me things I have not said, and is based on an appeal to the emotions and (usually) on attacks on my own integrity, knowedge etc.

 

Because an inefficient and unresponsive nationalised industry, which has long been protected by a reputation earned when it was efficient and popular, is unused to criticism and responds with unreasoning rage rather than by any admission of fault or self-examination.

Many failing institutions choose to respond in this fashion to valid criticism (the BBC is much the same) but in the end they will have to act on it. Some things need to be said over and over again before anyone pays any attention.  If my critic would care to read 'A Brief History of Crime', which I published ten years ago, and can then tell me where it is incorrect in fact or logic, I hope she will let me know. I just wish more people would read it.