I WAS astonished to see the Home Secretary, Jack Straw, on the BBC's 'Children of Crime' programme on May 5 with an idiotic grin on his face, looking as if he thought the discussion hosted by David Dimbleby was the biggest joke on earth.

There was the mother of a boy who had been stabbed; there were former offenders, and caring people who were deeply concerned about the prevention of juvenile crime, were doing their best to tackle a serious subject, but Mr Straw seemed to be trying not to giggle.

RUTH BRAITHWAITE, Edmund Gennings Court, Chatburn, Clitheroe.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.