Denise, the author of this post "Siena Garden Stuhl". You can check to Denise author page to know more.
Urban deprivation and racial discrimination, rural deprivation, the American Civil Rights movement, 1968 and all that, economic and political crises during the 1970s and 1980s, New Labour communitarianism … each can be woven into the complex story as to how the community sector has become a key element in the modern UK policy landscape. John Pearce’s (1) 1993 research into ‘the community economy’ illustrates the community sector’s own experience of such change and the diversity of community organisations and enterprises that arose from the 1970s onwards … community housing associations, development trusts, community coops, credit unions, community enterprises, multi-purpose community organisations and so on.
The Scottish Community Alliance calculates there now to be over 2000 community-based organisations and enterprises working across urban, rural and remote Scotland. Its 18 member bodies include organisations and networks working on housing, social enterprise, community finance, health and well-being, renewables and recycling, community ownership of land and property, transport, farming and food, community arts, retail, sustainability and the environment and more. So offering significant opportunities to lead and support local service provision, local economic developments, community-building, and community leadership and advocacy.
Perhaps no surprise then that the Christie Commission’s 2011 report recognises the opportunity that independent community sector organisations present to Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs). Indeed it advocates and illustrates community-led approaches to service design and delivery; to regeneration, prevention and place-based working; and to increasing local democratic accountability and planning.
What Works Scotland’s research agenda is therefore committed to explore the roles of community and third sectors; for instance, recently holding the People Making a Difference in Communities conference. Here university researchers – including What Works Scotland’s Oliver Escobar – actively engaged in discussions with participants from across the public, third and community sectors about forms of leadership and participation in neighbourhoods and communities. Similarly the What Works Scotland publication Reimagining Community Planning discusses the development of empowering local democratic spaces through an increasing third sector role.
Crucially, the community sector has its own long-standing tradition of developing thinking, practice and research. John Pearce, again, writes in 1993 from experience of locally-owned community enterprises able to facilitate wider local community economic and social development, calling these ‘core community enterprises’. Such thinking continues through the community anchor ‘model’ of multi-purpose, community-led organisations – promoted by the Scottish Community Alliance and, likewise, in the Scottish Government’s 2009 Community Empowerment Action Plan and 2011 Community-led Regeneration Policy.
Community development trusts and community housing associations are particularly well-suited to the anchor role, although other multi-purpose community organisations can fit the bill too. Many of these organisations have been able to establish long-term financial strength through significant community asset ownership. They are then able to undertake a wide range of: service provision and welfare advice; local economic development and community-building; and community leadership, advocacy and local democratic activity.
In a longer Think Piece on Community Anchors for What Works Scotland, I consider in more depth the roles of and evidence for such independent community organisations. I indicate the crucial role of joined-up CPP and public sector working in enabling the longer-term development of such anchors across Scotland. I point, as well, to the potential for anchors not only to take forward very practical community-led activity but to keep the focus on actual progress in tackling inequalities. Such ‘empowered local democratic spaces’ within working class and marginalised communities would provide invaluable partnerships with CPPs; particularly as the latter seek to reduce socio-economic inequalities of outcome, in line with the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. A locally-led ‘Scottish Approach’ to public service reform …
(1) For more information on the work of John Pearce, see details of the first John Pearce Memorial Lecture organised by Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health at Glasgow Caledonian University.
A contentious issue just before my trial began was about the fingernail clippings. After all my accuser told police upon arrival that among other things that " he had stuck his fingers inside me", thus the reason why they wanted to obtain samples from my fingernails after all she had also said "this happened 10 minutes before police arrived" so they kept me in cuffs until the DNA samples could be obtained. They in fact were and there is acknowledgment that they obtained them all and in fact they were tested as well as many other DNA samples from her body, etc and all of them cleared me.
What I find as just plain ignorance is that each of the officers and their boss was asked if they had ever done that before by the crowns lawyer in an attempt to belittle the findings should they ever come out.
This is a complete unredacted version of her original statement. It is a hard read and will evoke emotions but remember, I was acquitted based on her confession. I strongly urge you to read all the info before making a judgement.
First of all picture yourself a 14 year old child ( which she actually was at the time) would you be so inclined as to be left alone in a room with a complete male stranger if what you accused your father of 9 years of doing?
At the time she seems to be absolutely confident in her memory of alleged events and it just seems to flow as if it were almost practiced.
Out of all of my Blogs I have relatively left out that the scrutiny of my accuser. Whereas I have been extremely direct with the failings of the police I personally have not lashed out so to speak at her as an individual. I try to think why not as there are parts of me that want to but I remember I once was her stepdad. She was definitely a handful growing up and it steadily got worse as she became a teenager But It is a difficult thing to try and wrap your head around facing someone who has detrimentally attacked you like an adult and ruined your life and memories of raising a child, the bumps and bruises, up late the odd night attempting to find a drug store open to find medication to aid with a cold. Teaching someone to skate, fish, throw a ball, film unwrapping Christmas gifts year after year...to facing them in court, accused of the ultimate betrayal.
I have always felt that she never acted alone, yet still I've never been able to piece it together. My first thought would be that of her Mother, then again her mother also defended myself in more ways than just a few during the duration. Was it influence from the man ( 21 years old) to her 14 years of age, because I wouldn't accept the inappropriate relationship they had formed? I now have doubts about that as well. Was it the police, that seen a perfect moment to launch and further an attack against myself? A possibility I ponder being that my attitude towards them was less than cordial in our small community. Yet why, how, and when did this start?
These are the preliminary inquiry transcripts and the trial transcripts that started this whole mess, eventually to be acquitted. Recently I discovered that the link I had supplied a year ago was discontinued and therefore not available for viewing. In the interest of complete transparency I have posted these as I have made quite a number of accusations regarding police corruption, courtroom corruption,bad lawyering,etc. So In interest on being able to support my claims I have once again posted them. Therefore, readers who have questions about what I say or want to independently cross reference or verify then they can do so by viewing these. These are bound to really irritate those that are responsible for this happening and I can't help but feel as though they might be pulled from viewing. However , either I or friends of mine will repost again.
2 things two note .One you will see the dates of the preliminary inquiry . In short my preliminary inquiry took place in 3 separate towns, took over 8 months I believe to be finalised and was entertained by 2 separate crown lawyers.Finally, my accuser was examined in chief under oath and the defense was not permitted to cross examine for nearly 8 months. #2. You'll notice the dates of my trial, for that they brought in a special prosecutor and there is over 250 pages of court record whereas in reality court consisted of the first day being a voir dire hearing and then trial started the next day, in that same day there was a confession and there is not an accurate account of that. Believe me when I say they alter transcripts themselves. Shortly after lunch the first day of trial the proceedings ground to a halt and they moved to acquit myself and yet we brought no evidence as of that time. Of final note I will state the obvious, they are unredacted or altered in any way from myself but these are actual copies supplied to myself via a supporter who paid for the trial transcripts, in true form.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/tx7tweuknleertk/blackedoutjoes.pdf?dl=0 The only reason there was blackout of names was because of a publicity ban at the time.
The following video is of a 17 year old boy who was Murdered in Toronto Canada by a Toronto police officer. What does this have to do with my Blog? Nothing other than proof that there are certain police officers who are corrupt and even with video such as this, they are cleared.
It could be worth it to note that in Ontario's history alone 30 police officers have been charged with murder, 0 have been convicted! Even with video like this! It should also be noted that in this video you see many officers while that officer murders 17 year old Sammy, none of them attempt to stop him in any way which for anyone of us would be aiding to murder or accomplice to murder which also is a crime and yet no other officer was charged.
Also of note is that Sammy was on the bus or train alone! He could not have escaped! He never makes a move towards officers! He is a child! He has a language barrier being that he was a refugee from a war torn area that suffers from a mental health issue due to growing up in war!
Questions: Why did they not use pepper spray?, why not use a taser? Why did they shoot a kid 9 times with 9mm slugs!? Finally after the fact, shot dead by 9 bullets, they then taser him!. Again, if the taser was available, why wasn't that an option?
The whole thing is irreprehensible period but even further irreprehensible is to taser the dead boys body!
I know many people read my blog and might think " naw, this guy is nuts and there is no way so much could happen to one person" Well, I have a lot of video's just like this. Police do do things like this. The very precise reason that none of the video was taken from literally dozens of videos from within my building, was never taken as part of an investigation by police. The same reason literally dozens of witnesses ( they themselves bore witness to under oath and reports) and yet not a single statement taken! The same reason why they all colluded to tell roughly the same story because there is no proof. Them thinking that there was no video, no one to testify, they all said under oath "we never seen any camera man" Yet the last day of my trial, A CBC cameraman testified they all knew he was there and was less then 6 feet away. Yet they too didn't secure that footage and simply delayed my trial so long that the CBC destroyed all but 10 seconds of the tapes. I now await a verdict in a judge alone trial for the past 2 months with only one more month to go.
I'll end with this. What do you think the officers testimony would have been if not for the videos in Sammy's case? Do you think this officer is guilty of murder? Do you think he will actually be found guilty of murder or cleared like the rest? I am a very small voice in a very big world desperately trying to show people the obvious and that voice could be shut up in less than one month.
R.I.P Sammy yatmin, a poor child that suffered his whole life coming to Canada for refuge only to be Murdered by those sworn to protect. This we call the "free world" , told we have "constitutional rights, protection"....I think we all need to rethink this.
Proof reading before I publish this one, I find I have to add somethings. I make no assumptions on police in whole. I do no that we need police and that there are bad people out there who do bad things. I do not believe that every cop is corrupt. But I certainly do believe in one law for us all, equally. When that law is proven to be broken, equally all should be punished. I do believe we have become a Nation of naysayers, persons in disbelief, somehow holding the police to a higher caliber of moral ground than the rest of us, Almost unwittingly and instinctively, in a childlike way ready to believe every word that comes out of every cop as the truth. "If the police say so, well gosh it must be true" If this is the way our society has become, then why do we need court proceedings?, trials? And in that very essence of being, we definitely call the entire justice system into disrepute. Where none of this may have absolutely no consequence to you, what if your turn is next? What if this happened to you?
The police who police the police.....yet failing as the complaints grow out of proportion.( blog 92)
I Have been complaining about this through my blog for the longest time. In Alberta it seems to be an epidemic. Police, corruption! The funny thing is ( as if any of this could be funny) even though all the talk, nothing changes. And we still don't even have anything remotely similar to police the R.C.M.P. The article sums it up, I'll let you read it for yourself but I will add one quote to look for “I can’t really comment on why we have so many investigations because it could be a situation where there’s more reporting.” She noted they’re also investigating more “sensitive” cases, like breech of trust, drug-use and corruption." This from the head of ASIRT!
The number of investigations being undertaken by the Alberta Serious Incident Response team (ASIRT) is set to hit an all time high in 2015.
At a press conference in Edmonton in earlier this year, the executive director of ASIRT, Susan Hughson, said they’ve already investigated 25 incidents in 2015, a number on pace to surpass 41 investigations recorded in the previous year and any year on record. The five-year average is about 32.
Even through all the troublesome times, I managed to recently pull this beauty out of myself. (blog 91)
1300 square feet. Much work to be done yet. I have learned in quiet solitude that what was old can be new again, it just takes time. one of my happier days, working on my own.