The Finnish Line!
February 19, 2010
Posted by:Jonathan Wheeler
I was contacted today by Nora of the National Broadcasting Company of Finland: apparently she needed to interview me urgently. She explained she was making a programme about the Home Office pilot scheme here which allows parents to ask police about the backgrounds of people who have access to their children. And she has just left my office with the tapes! Critics of the scheme argue that people's rights to privacy are infringed but I say that this has to be balanced with the rights of the innocent child. And let's face it if you've got nothing to hide you've got nothing to fear from the scheme. The Home Office say that in the first 6 months of the pilot at least 10 children were saved from abuse. And whilst some paedophiles may be below the radar of the authorities, many are serial offenders and will already be known to the police. If the scheme protects just one child from abuse it has to be worth it. Apparently my comments will be aired in Heslinki and beyond on Tuedsay so if you're there I hope you catch it!