Current Awareness » prisons

All prisoners face a year of supervision upon release – Daily Telegraph

tracey — Thu, 09 May 2013 08:46:36 +0000

“Low-level criminals who spend a few weeks or months in prison will be supervised
for a year in the community after their release in an attempt to cut ‘shameful
levels’ of reoffending, the Justice Secretary will announce.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 9th May 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Sex in prisons: Campaigners warn of culture of denial over sexual relationships between inmates as new commission publishes report – The Independent

sally — Tue, 07 May 2013 08:52:32 +0000

“The first Commission into Sex in Prisons has drawn attention to a rarely reported issue.”

Full story

The Independent, 6th May 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Toughening up prisoner privileges – Ministry of Justice

sally — Wed, 01 May 2013 09:26:59 +0000

“Significant reforms are being made to toughen up the Incentives and Earned Privileges (IEP) scheme in male adult prisons throughout England and Wales.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 30th April 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Prison perks: inmates must wear uniforms as Grayling cracks down – The Guardian

sally — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 08:34:09 +0000

“All convicted male prisoners are to be required to wear prison uniform for the first two weeks of their sentence under a shakeup of life in jail ordered by the justice secretary, Chris Grayling.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina v Cosford and others – WLR Daily

sally — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:55:34 +0000

Regina v Cosford and others [2013] EWCA Crim 466; [2013] WLR (D) 147

“The test for identifying a public office turned on the nature of the duty undertaken and, in particular, whether it was a public duty in the sense that it represented the fulfilment of one of the responsibilities of government such that the public had a significant interest in its discharge extending beyond an interest in anyone who might be directly affected by a serious failure in the performance of the duty. The existence or otherwise of a public office was a question of law to be decided by a trial judge not by a jury.”

WLR Daily, 16th April 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Isn’t it time to abolish most women’s prisons? – Daily Telegraph

sally — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 08:41:33 +0000

“A parliamentary campaign launched today from Soroptimist and the Prison Reform Trust, suggests women and their families are disproportionately affected by a jail term. Ahead of Vicky Pryce’s expected release next month, Cathy Newman appraises the effectiveness of female imprisonement in the UK and considers the alternatives.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 25th April 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Class A drugs policy failing, say prison governors – BBC News

sally — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 08:28:00 +0000

“Current policy on illegal drugs creates victims of crime and more prisoners at a cost to taxpayers, the Prison Governors Association (PGA) has argued.”

Full story

BBC News, 25th April 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Older prisoners are fastest-growing part of jail population, says chief inspector – The Guardian

sally — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:25:58 +0000

“Prisoners aged over 60 are now the fastest-growing part of the jail population in England and Wales, the chief inspector of prisons has told MPs.”

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘The legal status of prisoners in this country is a mark of its humanity’ – LegalVoice

sally — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:58:20 +0000

“On 4 April, a matter of days after the cuts to civil legal aid were brought into effect, Chris Grayling has announced the Government’s intention to cut legal aid for prisoners seeking to bring proceedings for judicial review of decisions relating to their treatment or the conditions of their confinement. He complains that £4 million pounds in legal aid is spent annually on such complaints and says that they can be perfectly adequately dealt with by the internal prison complaints system. His justification for the cuts makes neither financial nor constitutional sense and begs the question, what are his true motives?”

Full story

LegalVoice, 18th April 2013

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

No Sky TV, no Xbox: prisoners’ perks to be axed as Chris Grayling gets tough on jails – The Independent

sally — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 08:40:45 +0000

“Thousands of prisoners could lose their automatic access to gym equipment, games consoles and other perks under plans for a tough new regime in Britain’s jails.”

Full story

The Independent, 14th April 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Law Society president on legal aid change – BBC News

sally — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 09:30:56 +0000

“The government has proposed cutting legal aid for prisoners, newly-arrived immigrants and people with incomes of more £37,500 to reduce the overall bill.”

Full story

BBC News, 9th April 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

New migrants will have to wait a year for legal aid – The Guardian

sally — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 08:16:17 +0000

“Foreign nationals are to be denied the right to obtain legal aid for civil cases until they have lived in Britain for at least a year, the justice secretary Chris Grayling will announce this week.”

Full story

The Guardian, 7th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Policy allowing cross-gender searches in prisons not unlawful, says High Court – UK Human Rights Blog

sally — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 08:58:49 +0000

“The secretary of state’s policy in respect of rub-down searches of prisoners, which allows cross-gender searches in the case of male prisoners but not for female prisoners, does not discriminate against male prisoners on grounds of sex.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 4th April 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Prisoners may lose legal aid for jail complaints – The Guardian

sally — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 08:39:15 +0000

“Convicted criminals could be barred from claiming legal aid to fund complaints about the prison system regarding matters such as categorisation, moves, correspondence and visits.”

Full story

The Guardian, 4th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina (Dowsett) v Secretary of State for Justice – WLR Daily

sally — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:44:43 +0000

Regina (Dowsett) v Secretary of State for Justice [2013] EWHC 687 (Admin); [2013] WLR (D) 126

“The Secretary of State’s policy that male prisoners could not normally object to “rub-down” searches being conducted by a female prison officer except on genuine religious or cultural grounds was not discriminatory on grounds of sex or lack of religion. The exceptions to the policy were a proportionate way of dealing with genuine objections by male prisoners to being searched by female officers and the width of the exceptions to the policy did not lead to an unacceptable risk of unlawful decision-making.”

WLR Daily, 27th March 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

James Best: Jailed in the riots for stealing a gingerbread man… dead in the prison that should have protected him – The Independent

sally — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 09:17:54 +0000

“James Best had a history of mental health problems before being jailed after the riots of 2011. Now his brother has warned that the systemic failures which led to his death could happen again.”

Full story

The Independent, 1st April 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

European court adjourns prisoner voting case – BBC News

tracey — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 09:18:29 +0000

“Human rights judges have adjourned until September consideration of more than
2,300 legal cases against the UK over prisoner voting rights.”

Full story

BBC News, 26th March 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Vicky Pryce prison photographs may have breached PCC code of conduct – The Guardian

sally — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:24:39 +0000

“The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) has begun an investigation into whether newspaper photographs showing Vicky Pryce serving her prison sentence might have breached its code of conduct.”

Full story

The Guardian, 22nd March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Should prison be reserved for dangerous criminals? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

sally — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:07:31 +0000

“This month we saw eight-month sentences handed out to Chris Huhne and his ex-wife Vicky Pryce for perverting the course of justice. Both had been warned to ‘be under no illusion as to the likely sentence’ – the judicial way of saying, ‘expect a custodial sentence’. Of course, the lawyers would tell you that this was inevitable as the courts treat such crimes severely.”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 22nd March 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Targeted support for women offenders – Ministry of Justice

sally — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 09:56:30 +0000

“Female offenders should receive more targeted support to break the cycle of crime and abuse many of them face, Justice Minister Helen Grant said today.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 22nd March 2013

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Wandsworth jail criticised over prisoner death – The Guardian

sally — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 09:44:41 +0000

“An inquest jury has criticised procedures and practice at the UK’s biggest jail following the death of a prisoner, jailed for stealing a gingerbread man in the 2011 riots.”

Full story

The Guardian, 26th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

What will happen to human rights after the next election? – UK Human Rights Blog

tracey — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:29:06 +0000

“Human rights will be a politically live issue at the next election. Leading on the issue will by the Conservative Party, urged on by elements in the media such as the Daily Mail with a commercial interest in resistance to any law on privacy deriving from human rights. So, the Working Men’s College has done well to identify this topic for exploration. This evening is a celebration of the college’s stated aim to ‘engage positively with the past, while finding new ways to pursue its founders’ aims into the 21st century.’ ”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 20th March 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Should the Decision of the Foreign Secretary be Justiciable? – Louise Christian

tracey — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:13:19 +0000

Should the Decision of the Foreign Secretary be Justiciable?

Louise Christian, Senior Consultant and Head of Public Law, Christian Khan Solicitors

Inner Temple Reader’s Lecture Series, 18th February 2013

Source: www.innertemple.org.uk

Prisoners charge £200 to take speeding points – Daily Telegraph

sally — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:46:52 +0000

“Prison inmates are offering to take points for motorists caught speeding as part of a thriving scam, the Daily Telegraph has learned.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 16th March 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Inquest to open into death of prisoner convicted of stealing gingerbread man – The Guardian

sally — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 09:12:59 +0000

“The inquest into the death in prison of a man convicted of stealing a gingerbread man during the riots in 2011 opens in London on Monday. James Best, 37, had a history of mental illness and physical problems, which his foster family say were not addressed by the prison.”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Youth jail illegally punished seven protesting teenagers, court rules – The Guardian

sally — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:33:23 +0000

“A privately run youth jail illegally punished seven teenagers after they were involved in a protest over conditions on their wing, a high court judge has ruled.”

Full story

The Guardian, 7th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prison cuts ‘could lead to more crimes’ – Daily Telegraph

sally — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 09:39:58 +0000

“Serial criminals could commit even more crimes, MPs have warned, because cuts to prison services risk rehabilitation programmes being scaled back.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 5th March 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Chris Grayling to ban fertility treatment for prisoners – Daily Telegraph

tracey — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 10:15:18 +0000

“Chris Grayling, the Justice Secretary, has revealed he wants to ban prisoners
from having access to costly fertility treatment from behind bars.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 28th February 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Released prisoners to be banned from moving around country – The Guardian

sally — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:32:56 +0000

“Newly released prisoners will be banned from moving around the country when they leave jail to ensure they complete rehabilitation programmes, Chris Grayling has told MPs.”

Full story

The Guardian, 27th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Probation union says privatising service will put public at risk – The Guardian

sally — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:43:32 +0000

“Probation officers are warning that the public will be at greater risk if the government presses ahead with plans to privatise the supervision of offenders.”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Appeal court orders release of severely disabled prisoner – The Guardian

sally — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 09:21:00 +0000

“The appeal court has shown ‘exceptional mercy’ to a severely disabled prisoner, releasing him from prison early after his lawyers argued the prison service could not meet his complex medical needs.”

Full story

The Guardian, 8th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prisoners’ rights: no tea bags please! – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

sally — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:06:17 +0000

“Was challenging the decision for prisoners having the right to vote a step too far?”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 31st January 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Scores of violent offenders able to walk out of jail – Daily Telegraph

sally — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 10:55:39 +0000

“Scores of Britain’s most dangerous criminals have walked out of open prisons over the past year, official statistics disclosed yesterday.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 28th January 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Justice minister admits five children were detained in adult jails – The Independent

sally — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 10:48:28 +0000

“Five children have been placed in adult prisons, breaking an international treaty on children’s rights, it has emerged. The Youth Justice minister, Jeremy Wright, admitted the under-18s had been transferred from youth custody to adult prisons in 2011, in answer to a parliamentary question earlier this month.”

Full story

The Independent, 27th January 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Women’s centres give vital help to ex-convicts. So why cut them? – The Guardian

sally — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 10:45:51 +0000

“Most women prisoners have committed non-violent crimes. On being released, many want to start new lives but get little or no support. In 2008, that was all supposed to change. Yet today there is anger and frustration at lack of action, and the destructive potential of cutbacks.”

Full story

The Guardian, 27th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Hundreds of women still wrongly imprisoned – The Guardian

sally — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 10:03:05 +0000

“Hundreds of British women continue to be wrongly imprisoned, according to a study that condemns the government for not complying with international standards set by the United Nations on treatment of female inmates.”

Full story

The Guardian, 27th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prisoners win big payouts for parole delays – The Independent

sally — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 09:37:10 +0000

“Murderers, rapists and kidnappers have received compensation totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds from the Government after complaining that delays in their parole hearings breached their human rights.”

Full story

The Independent, 20th January 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Changes to the prison estate – Ministry of Justice

sally — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:30:36 +0000

“The Government is to start feasibility work on what would be Britain’s biggest prison as part of a major programme of updating Britain’s prison estate. The new prison could hold more than 2,000 prisoners – around a quarter more than the largest current facility. The new facility is likely to be in London, the North West or North Wales.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 10th January 2013

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Return of the super-prison as the Coalition changes tack – Daily Telegraph

sally — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 10:23:00 +0000

“A ‘super-prison’ capable of housing 2,000 inmates is to be built along with four mini-prisons in a departure from Coalition policy which had suggested that jails are costly and ineffectual.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 9th January 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Court custody suites criticised by prisons watchdog – BBC News

sally — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 09:58:06 +0000

“Women and children awaiting trial are being kept too close to men in court custody suites, a watchdog has found.”

Full story

BBC News, 8th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Criminals should spend longer in jail, says Chris Grayling – The Guardian

sally — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 10:28:46 +0000

“Criminals should spend longer in jail and not be automatically released after serving half their sentence, the justice secretary has said.”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th January 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prisons (Interference with Wireless Telegraphy) Act 2012 – legislation.gov.uk

tracey — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 10:21:17 +0000

Full text of Act

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Immigration detention casework – poor casework must be addressed – HM Inspectorate of Prisons

sally — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:22:15 +0000

“Immigration casework needs to improve so that people aren’t detained for longer than necessary, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons, and John Vine, Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, publishing the report of a thematic review of immigration detention casework.”

Full story

HM Inspectorate of Prisons, 12th December 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Prisons and immigration inspectors demand action on delayed deportations – The Guardian

sally — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 09:23:43 +0000

“More than 40 people facing deportation have been held for longer than two years in prisons and immigration removal centres at a cost to the taxpayer of nearly £40,000 each, official inspectors have revealed.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th December 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Votes for prisoners: UK told it must implement ECHR decisions – The Guardian

sally — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:45:26 +0000

“The government has been handed a mild reprimand by the Council of Europe for its delaying tactics over giving prisoners the right to vote.”

Full story

The Guardian, 10th December 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Children and young people in custody – a fall in numbers, but little change otherwise – Ministry of Justice

sally — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 10:31:05 +0000

“The number of children and young people in custody continues to fall, but little has changed in their perception of their treatment and conditions, said Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons, publishing a thematic report, Children and Young People in Custody 2011-12: an analysis of the experiences of 15-18-year-olds in prison.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 7th December 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Ashfield teenage prisoners to begin legal battle – BBC News

sally — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 09:41:17 +0000

“Seven teenagers who claim they were punished unlawfully will begin a legal battle against a Bristol prison later.”

Full story

BBC News, 4th December 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prison Law Bulletin – Garden Court Chambers

tracey — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 10:32:04 +0000

“The Garden Court Prison Law Team presents the fourth issue of its ‘Prison Law Bulletin’. ”

Issue 4 – 28 November 2012

Garden Court Chambers, 29th November 2012

Source: www.gcprisonlaw.wordpress.com

Prison mentors: ‘I’ve been in trouble almost all the time’ – BBC News

sally — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 10:40:40 +0000

“The government wants to give more prisoners on sentences of less than 12 months a mentor – who may themselves be an ex-offender – to try to cut reoffending.”

Full story

BBC News, 26th November 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prisoner voting rights – Ministry of Justice

tracey — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 10:05:07 +0000

“Draft proposals to ensure that laws on prisoner voting comply with the UK’s international legal obligations were outlined by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling today.”

Voting Eligibility (Prisoners) Draft Bill

Ministry of Justice, 22nd November 2012

Source: www.justice.gov.uk