Boris's Brain is missing

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Jdsk
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

Oldjohnw wrote: 29 Jul 2021, 1:11pmDo community work by all means, but do it like Timpsons do it: pay them well, give them opportunity for advancement and wear the staff uniform with pride.
Stunning achievement.

Jonathan
thirdcrank
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by thirdcrank »

Is there an objective assessment of what has been done at Timpson's? I've been a more or less interested reader of his column in the Daily Telegraph for some years and I've paid particular attention to what he's said about recruiting people from prison. Above all, he's done more than many others, but I'd be interested to hear something objective from elsewhere.

My reason for asking is that his account of how his business operates more generally seems some distance from reality.
Jdsk
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Jdsk »

https://shiftdesign.org/case-study-timpson/
includes:

"Nationwide, 61% of prisoners reoffend within two years. This drops to 19% for those with a job. The percentage among Timpson staff who are ex-offenders? Under 3%."

But I don't know if the recruitment is selective.

I'd also be interested if there's better evidence.

Jonathan
Oldjohnw
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Oldjohnw »

I am not aware of any independent study but this might help:

https://www.timpson-group.co.uk/timpson ... offenders/
John
thirdcrank
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by thirdcrank »

Thanks for those replies. It's all in line with what I've read from John Timpson over the last couple of decades and my only reservation about it is that there is a huge difference between what he says about his business in general and going into one of his shops (That's my general experience, nothing to do with the antecedents of the staff.)

If I've any doubts about the system, rather than JT's explanation, I'm not sure about training burglars to be locksmiths.
Vorpal
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Vorpal »

thirdcrank wrote: 29 Jul 2021, 4:58pm Thanks for those replies. It's all in line with what I've read from John Timpson over the last couple of decades and my only reservation about it is that there is a huge difference between what he says about his business in general and going into one of his shops (That's my general experience, nothing to do with the antecedents of the staff.)

If I've any doubts about the system, rather than JT's explanation, I'm not sure about training burglars to be locksmiths.
Who better? :lol: Various governments also hire hackers as security consultants.
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thirdcrank
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by thirdcrank »

My doubts are not about their skills at opening what I believe are still called lockfast premises in Scotland, but rather that they might be at risk of pressure from (former?) associates to lend a helping hand.
Oldjohnw
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Oldjohnw »

Not a problem I have ever heard of. Most petty criminals are not lock pickers or safe-breakers. They have extremely long skills.
John
thirdcrank
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by thirdcrank »

Oldjohnw wrote: 30 Jul 2021, 11:03am Not a problem I have ever heard of. Most petty criminals are not lock pickers or safe-breakers. They have extremely long skills.
This is precisely why I asked about independent review. Breaking into dwellinghouses is not in itself "petty."
Oldjohnw
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Oldjohnw »

But most people in prison are there for pretty low grade non-violent offences. Violent offenders do not normally get involved in through the gate rehabilitation projects. A short sighted approach often but that is how it is.
John
thirdcrank
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by thirdcrank »

I'm not referring to most people, but those convicted of a specific offence - "breaking" into houses. One of the big criticisms of youth custody is that Borstals/ |Young Offenders Institutions etc., tend to act like universities of crime: some of the inmates pick up things from the others in there. eg A few years ago now, when my own house was broken into by snapping the lock, I discovered that this was the latest burglars MO and had, apparently, been devised in the Leeds area and was spreading to the rest of the country by this form of "training."

Now, the doubt I'm expressing - and no more than that -is that somebody known to be a trained locksmith might come under pressure from (former) associates to use their skills. As I think I've already posted, I think the willingness of some companies to look beyond a criminal record is praiseworthy. I've read plenty from John Timpson - much of it directly or indirectly about John Timpson - and from my personal experience of his various companies, it's not always accurate as in rose-tinted specs.
Oldjohnw
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Oldjohnw »

We have to take risks. Plus, on release from prison you have the equivalent of one third of your sentence under supervision. One slip and you’re back inside: no trial, no mitigation. Probation Officer’s say so.

My own experiences of Timpsons is neither better nor worse than with any other similar outlet. Some are better than others. I am pretty sure that without Timpsons many who now run these shops would have been back inside.
John
thirdcrank
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by thirdcrank »

I wasn't passing comment on the shops in Timpson's empire as such, but how John Timpson - admittedly having to fill a weekly column as a business guru - describes them. I'm saying there's a mismatch between his spiel and my experience. And I'll stress that doesn't stem from any concerns I have about his colleagues' antecedents.

All I was looking for was an objective appraisal and it seems there isn't one, so it's "better than nothing."
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PS On the subject of hi-viz togs, the stalwarts who empty our wheelie bins have just been and not a sign of Boris Johnson. They were a tad later than usual so I thought there may be staff shortages caused by self-isolation, but my concerns were misplaced.
Last edited by thirdcrank on 30 Jul 2021, 1:18pm, edited 1 time in total.
Oldjohnw
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Oldjohnw »

Perhaps a theme for a PHD thesis! As I said, I am not aware of any review specially on Tmpsons although there is plenty of academic work on through the gate employment. Timpson's work starts in prison workshops.

I've never seen his business column.
John
Stevek76
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Re: Boris's Brain is missing

Post by Stevek76 »

thirdcrank wrote: 30 Jul 2021, 12:24pm Now, the doubt I'm expressing - and no more than that -is that somebody known to be a trained locksmith might come under pressure from (former) associates to use their skills.
They're burglars, not spies. Most break ins are by actually breaking something, e.g. a window. Most of the rest are by breaking the lock, snapping typically for euro profiles. No need for locksmith skills for any of that.

Also bear in mind that locksmithing is not the secret thing it was a few decades about and that's probably a good thing given security through obscurity generally isn't very.
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