The Fear Factory: A Response to The Third Estate’s Review

Guest post by Richard Symons

We came to “The Fear Factory” via an unusual but (as we discovered) incredibly astute request.

The Nationwide Foundation’s steering committee brief was simple enough, “give us a tool to change minds” – a regrettably necessary first step in making the treatment of young offenders something you could convince the public they should want. The result was “The Fear Factory”, an hour long documentary that reveals how and why the politicians and media – despite the evidence, economics and expert opinion – have engaged in a tough-talking, law and order arms race which has effectively brought our criminal justice system into crisis.

Most areas of the 3rd sector face an uphill struggle for public and government support even when it’s easy to prove the work they’re doing is effective and much needed. Those working in the arena of criminal justice have to overcome additional hurdles – primarily public and media opinion coupled with the political implications of headline-grabbing controversies that can win and lose elections. If a government-funded charity asked the public to donate “Playstations for Prisons” imagine the ensuing tabloid frenzy and you get an idea of the communications work needed.

But Salman Shaheen hit the nail on the 3rd Sectors head in his review of the film, questioning whether it can change minds? In an e-mail to me he said, “I am slightly sceptical of the film’s – and indeed anyone’s – ability to influence the morally bankrupt bunch of writers and editors spreading fear, hatred and division for a living whilst pretending what they’re doing is real journalism”. I beg to differ.

I don’t blame Salman for his skepticism, it forms part of the reasoning behind the brief for the film. And he’s right to the extent that a film on it’s own can’t do the job, but that’s the case with any tool. I suspect that’s why an unprecedented 47 NGOs have formed a coalition off the back of the film – a hammer simply won’t drive in a nail by itself, and changing someone’s mind is infinitely harder – especially when they’re “morally bankrupt”. The key is realising they’re not.

Our burgeoning criminal justice crisis in the UK has worsened because crime is an incredibly emotional issue, centering on fear for your own safety and the safety of your loved ones. Newspapers commercially exploit this fear and politicians piggyback. Ultimately, the underlying logic behind the emotion is that when it comes to crime, especially violent crime, there can only be one certainty with a “morally bankrupt” offender – if they’re locked up, you and your family are safe.

Unless you believe in redemption, rehabilitation. In which case there’s no such thing as “morally bankrupt”.

Belief in redemption’s an issue I’d barely thought about before making the film – let alone whether society has the ability to redeem a killer. That was before we filmed ex-offenders like Erwin James and John Hirst. It was also before we’d filmed Chris Roycroft-Davies, for twenty years he was the executive editor and leader writer of The Sun. What quickly became apparent was that both Erwin and John had been rehabilitated. There can be no doubt they both make a positive contribution to society whereas 20 years ago this wasn’t the case. There was much more debate during the production over whether a man like Roycroft-Davis could ever change his mind, be “redeemed”. Salman’s skepticism says not.

Chris sat amongst an audience of 400 3rd sector workers at the film’s launch whilst they watched two decades of the “law and order” arms race unfold – in no small part as a result of headlines and leaders that he’d written. I figured at best, a quote from him would be useful for the DVD inlay to illustrate just how intractable the tabloids were on this issue. I suppose I was as cynical as Salman. Turns out I was wrong. The quote we ended up using was, “A wonderfully put together film that changed my mind”.

A hammer and nail coupled to a dose of skepticism won’t get your building work done, won’t make a change. The 3rd sector exists in the criminal justice arena because it cares, believes in human nature, believes in it’s value, believes we’re all capable of change and believes no-one’s born inherently bad – we know that includes offenders, but sometimes forget it can include journalists, judges, politicians and the public – it’s just a long haul and it’s going to need the energy and dedication of all 47 coalition members.

The 3rd sector getting cynical would be a terrible shame. It’d probably mean that what it is to be human has been dialed down a notch.

Richard Symons is the head of Spirit Level Film, producers of The Fear Factory

Additional Quotes

‘Were The Fear Factory merely a critique of youth justice policy it might not deserve close attention. But it isn’t. It’s more than that. It constructively builds the case for our taking a different direction. A direction which would make it less likely that we will all be victimised by a new generation of criminals.’ Rod Morgan,Chairman of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales. 2004-2007

“Exposes our criminal justice crisis with forensic precision.” Chris Huhne MP

“An important piece of work… terrific. Makes the case for change urgent and unarguable” Lord Puttnam