THE BUCK STOPS AT ALISON SAUNDERS

The buck stops where?  According to the originator of that phrase; Harry S. Truman President of the U.S.A. the answer was “here” in his office at his desk.  And that is exactly why we hear of so many corporate cock ups........C.E.O.s and senior managers do their best to ensure that they are well placed to avoid being anyway near that buck.  Anybody who viewed the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee questioning the big wigs at the BBC, or the bosses of HSBC or, nearer to home, the contract with Capita plc for interpreters in English courtrooms can be left in no doubt that arse covering is a major pre occupation for those at the top of corporate trees whether commercially or publicly funded.  At the top of the Crown Prosecution Service is one Alison Saunders who must now be wondering just how long she has left in her job after the calamitous prosecution failures following the Savile case and the acquittals resulting from Operation Elveden.  On a more down to earth matter the decision to prosecute a 17 year old boy for having sex with a girl approaching her 16^th birthday when both were drunk must rank as an error of judgement of the highest order.  Where was the public interest in bringing this case to court?  The boy now has a criminal record for an action which is as common nowadays as was smoking behind the bike shed at school was in my teenage years.  

My frequent references to the political forces driving prosecutions for violence in a domestic context apply equally in this case.  I can only offer praise to the judge for being so forthright in her criticism of the CPS.  Would that similar comments be made publicly when required and that they have an effect where they matter.