Blame The System

Jim Hopkins savages the “blame the system” mentality which acts as a substitute for holding people accountable. He predicts the reviews of Burton getting parole will include the following:

Hold an inquiry. Publish a report. Stuff it full of downy phrases like “an unfortunate series of administrative oversights” and “urgent need to review procedures” and “initiate a training programme for key personnel to to enhance their awareness of the need for a comprehensive framework of additional safeguards”.

And “identify and implement more rigorous strategies to identify at-risk individuals”.

And “reassess the adequacy of existing inter-agency communication protocols and contractual relationships”.

And, of course, “address staffing inadequacies through the urgent employment of additional appropriately trained managers to oversee the ongoing process of institutional remediation”.

Sadly Hopkins is probably right.