‘It’s an excuse to overreach’: families’ anger over UK police restraint deaths blamed on disputed condition – The Guardian

‘Acute behavioural disturbance and excited delirium have been cited in police watchdog reports and inquests into 44 deaths – but campaigners say it is pseudoscience.’

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The Guardian, 17th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

HMP Woodhill: Prison staff made insufficient checks on inmate found dead – BBC News

‘Prison staff failed to properly check on a prisoner the morning he was found dead, the prisons ombudsman has ruled.’

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BBC News, 18th March 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Courting controversy: the use of trigger warnings in teaching human rights law – The Law Teacher

Posted March 15th, 2024 in education, human rights, legal education, mental health, news, universities by sally

‘This article explores how legal academics approach sensitive topics in human rights law, specifically how content is chosen, curated and discussed with students. It draws on data collected as part of a small pilot study which looked at how human rights academics approach “controversial” topics and how their views on controversy and sensitivity may be reflected in their curriculum. It focuses on the wider debate around trigger warnings in higher education and explores how academics use them. It concludes that, despite their negative reputation, “trigger warnings” can play a necessary and welcome role in navigating sensitive material.’

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The Law Teacher, 1st March 2024

Source: www.tandfonline.com

High Court judge makes care order for teenage boy despite local authority seeking to withdraw its application – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 15th, 2024 in adoption, care orders, children, families, local government, mental health, news by sally

‘A High Court judge has refused to allow a local authority to withdraw its application for a care order, finding that an order would be in the “best interests” of a teenage boy with complex needs.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 14th March 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Protection declares lawfulness of care plan setting out arrangements for termination of woman’s pregnancy – Local Government Lawyer

‘A judge sitting in the Court of Protection has declared that a care plan setting out the arrangements for the termination of a woman’s pregnancy was lawful.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 14th March 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Coroner criticises benefits rules after vulnerable claimant’s death – The Guardian

‘A coroner has criticised the Depart­ment for Work and Pensions (DWP) after a woman died from an overdose in the wake of a six-month official investigation that left her with soaring universal credit debts.’

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The Guardian, 10th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Prisoner describes ‘torture’ of indefinite jail term as he makes landmark public parole bid – The Independent

Posted March 11th, 2024 in human rights, imprisonment, mental health, news, parole, prisons by tracey

‘The first IPP prisoner to have his parole bid held in public has revealed how each day is “torture” serving a sentence with no release date.’

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The Independent, 10th March 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Crown Prosecution Service lawyers trivialise teen sexual abuse, report says – The Guardian

‘Lawyers in the Crown Prosecution Service in England and Wales have trivialised teen sexual abuse, are “obsessed” about the credibility of rape victims and used victim-blaming language, according to a critical official examination into how the service deals with serious sexual crimes.’

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The Guardian, 11th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Deadly experiment? UK asylum sites criticised for ‘horrific’ level of despair – The Guardian

Posted February 29th, 2024 in asylum, housing, mental health, news, self-harm, suicide by sally

‘Twice in January, ambulances rushed to the former RAF airbase at Wethersfield in a remote part of Essex, now the Home Office’s biggest mass asylum accommodation site, to attend to suicide attempts. On each occasion, an asylum seeker was admitted to hospital. Both survived.’

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The Guardian, 28th February 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Students think they need connections to progress legal career – Legal Futures

Posted February 28th, 2024 in diversity, equality, law firms, mental health, news, solicitors, statistics, universities by sally

‘A significant number of students think nepotism and connections are important to progress in the law, according to research which found that this did indeed help some get jobs.’

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Legal Futures, 28th February 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Sobhia Khan: Concern over hospital release of man who killed wife – BBC News

‘A coroner has found “numerous failings” led to a man being able to beat his wife to death after his release from a secure psychiatric unit.’

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BBC News, 27th February 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Calls to end the ‘living nightmare’ of indefinite jail terms ahead of crunch Lords debate – The Independent

Posted February 26th, 2024 in bills, criminal justice, human rights, imprisonment, mental health, news, prisons, sentencing by tracey

‘Mental health, human rights and criminal justice experts have made a joint plea for parliament to end the “living nightmare” of indefinite jail terms, following a series of revelations by The Independent. Thousands of prisoners have been left languishing in jail for years longer than their minimum tariff, and with no hope of release, under imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentences – which were scrapped more than a decade ago amid human rights concerns.’

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The Independent, 26th February 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Negligence case by schizophrenic man who killed three OAPs gets go-ahead – The Independent

‘A paranoid schizophrenic who killed three pensioners will be allowed to continue his legal challenge over his treatment from authorities before the deaths, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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The Independent, 20th February 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Prisoners with mental illness wait too long for beds – BBC News

Posted February 19th, 2024 in delay, hospitals, mental health, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons, statistics by tracey

‘Prisoners with severe mental illnesses are waiting too long for hospital care, says the chief inspector of prisons.’

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BBC News, 19th February 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bristol University loses appeal over suicide of disabled student on exam day – The Guardian

Posted February 15th, 2024 in appeals, disabled persons, examinations, mental health, news, suicide, universities by sally

‘The family of a disabled undergraduate who killed herself on the day of a “truly terrifying” oral exam have won the latest stage of a legal battle to compel universities to take more care of students struggling with their mental health.’

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The Guardian, 14th February 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Handcuffed migrants face unlimited detention in ‘prison-like’ conditions, anti-torture committee finds – The Independent

Posted February 8th, 2024 in asylum, detention, immigration, mental health, news, reports, restraint by sally

‘Migrants facing unlimited detention in “prison-like” UK immigration sites are being handcuffed to beds and allowed to self-harm, a European anti-torture committee has found.’

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The Independent, 8th February 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Current Affairs Digest: Law – House of Lords Library

‘Sentences of imprisonment for public protection (IPPs) were abolished in 2012. However, this abolition did not apply retrospectively to prisoners already serving IPPs. Recent prison population data on IPPs has shown over 1,200 prisoners have never been released. This briefing examines concerns raised by campaign groups, professional bodies and international partners about the impact of IPPs on prisoners’ release prospects and mental health.’

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House of Lords Library, 6th February 2024

Source: lordslibrary.parliament.uk

Half of barristers “generally content” with their working lives – Legal Futures

Posted February 7th, 2024 in barristers, mental health, news, statistics by sally

‘Half of barristers feel generally content with their working lives, an increase on the previous time they were surveyed, a report for the Bar Council has found.’

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Legal Futures, 6th February 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Section 117 after-care statutory guidance – a missed opportunity? – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 6th, 2024 in detention, local government, mental health, news, statutory duty by tracey

‘Lee Parkhill reviews new Government guidance on the joint duty under s.117 of the Mental Health Act 1983.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 2nd February 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

New data on wellbeing at the Bar – The Bar Council

Posted February 6th, 2024 in barristers, mental health, news, reports, statistics by tracey

‘Today the Bar Council has published the Wellbeing at the Bar Report 2024. The data shows some improvements in wellbeing at the Bar.’

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The Bar Council, 2nd February 2024

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk