Barrier to employment lifted for thousands of ex-offenders – Ministry of Justice

‘Over 120,000 former offenders will find it easier to get work and turn their lives away from crime following a change in the law.’

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Ministry of Justice, 30th October 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Court transcript costs are exploitative – BBC News

‘Victims of violent and sexual crimes are calling for court transcript costs to be cut after they were quoted “unaffordable” sums for them.’

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BBC News, 24th October 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prison reforms will cut reoffending and put worst offenders behind bars for longer – Ministry of Justice

‘A fundamental shake-up of the justice system that takes dangerous offenders off the streets for longer while rehabilitating lower risk offenders has been outlined today by Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk.’

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Ministry of Justice, 16th October 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

MoJ ‘put public at risk’ after quietly transferring inmates to open prisons – The Guardian

Posted October 18th, 2023 in domestic violence, early release, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons, victims by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice has been accused of putting the public at risk after quietly transferring locked up offenders to open prisons in a move to ease a critical overcrowding crisis.’

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The Guardian, 17th October 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Thousands of prisoners in England and Wales to be released up to 18 days early – The Guardian

‘Thousands of prisoners are to be released up to 18 days early as part of plans drawn up by ministers to ease an overcrowding crisis.’

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The Guardian, 16th October 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Thousands more eligible for financial help with court fees – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 16th, 2023 in consultations, fees, legal aid, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘The most vulnerable in society will be better supported to access justice following an expansion of a scheme to help people with court and tribunal fees.’

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Ministry of Justice, 16th October 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Reforming Compensation for Wrongful Conviction – Mountford Chambers

‘Having spent 17 years in prison and 20 years fighting to clear his name, one imagines that after the relief of having done so, Andy Malkinson’s next focus is on rebuilding his life.’

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Mountford Chambers, 8th September 2023

Source: www.mountfordchambers.com

Victims’ commissioner to be named after ‘shocking’ delay – BBC News

Posted October 4th, 2023 in bills, delay, Ministry of Justice, news, victims by sally

‘Justice Secretary Alex Chalk has said that a new victims’ commissioner will be appointed “shortly”, after the job was left vacant for more than a year.’

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BBC News, 3rd October 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Pepper spray could be used at young offender institutions in England and Wales – The Guardian

Posted September 27th, 2023 in children, Ministry of Justice, news, prison officers, prisons, violence, young offenders by sally

‘Prison officers in England and Wales could be allowed to use pepper spray to incapacitate children under plans to curb a sharp increase in violence at young offender institutions, the Guardian has learned.’

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The Guardian, 26th September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Met police request support from army after officers down firearms – The Guardian

‘The Metropolitan police has called on the SAS to provide counter-terrorism support after firearms officers downed their weapons in protest at the charging of their colleague with murder. Suella Braverman ordered a review of armed policing to calm a growing rebellion of about 100 officers over the charging on Wednesday of an officer for the murder of 24-year-old Chris Kaba, an unarmed man killed last September by a single shot to the head.’

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The Guardian, 24th September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Step forward to online lasting powers of attorney – Ministry of Justice

Posted September 22nd, 2023 in internet, Ministry of Justice, news, powers of attorney by tracey

‘The most vulnerable in society will be better protected as reforms to simplify and streamline lasting powers of attorney are given Royal Assent.’

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Ministry of Justice, 19th September 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Court accidentally gave adoption family details to birth father – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The Ministry of Justice has been ordered to improve its systems after details of parties in an adoption process were leaked to the birth father. The data breach happened despite the court judge directing that the father be excluded from proceedings as he posed a risk to the family concerned.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 11th September 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Tribunal rejects MoJ’s ‘elaborate’ reason for refusing FOI request – Law Society’s Gazette

The first-tier tribunal has overturned a ruling that the Ministry of Justice was entitled to turn down freedom of information requests relating to cleaners’ pay.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 8th September 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Top UK lawyer hits out at ‘authoritarian’ attacks on legal profession – The Guardian

‘A leading British lawyer has compared UK government attacks on the profession to the tactics used by authoritarian regimes. Helena Kennedy KC, one of the UK’s most renowned criminal lawyers and a Labour peer, said ministers were deliberately creating scapegoats.’

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The Guardian, 10th September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Justice secretary must “get to grips” with escalating civil court delays – Legal Futures

Posted September 7th, 2023 in civil justice, courts, delay, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

‘Justice secretary Alex Chalk must urgently “get to grips” with increasing civil court delays to help thousands of consumers trapped in “legal limbo”, the Association of Consumer Support Organisations (ACSO) has argued.’

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Legal Futures, 6th September 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

APIL issues JR over shortcomings in new fixed costs rules – Legal Futures

‘The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has issued judicial review (JR) proceedings challenging aspects of the new rules to extend fixed recoverable costs.’

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Legal Futures, 24th August 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Ministers ‘dragging feet’ on forcing killers to court as Lucy Letby to skip sentencing – The Independent

‘Ministers have been accused of “dragging their feet” over laws to force killers into the dock as Lucy Letby refuses to appear in court for her sentencing.’

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The Independent, 21st August 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Courts operate at full throttle to cut delays – Ministry of Justice

Posted August 14th, 2023 in Crown Court, delay, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘The Crown Court will work at maximum capacity for the third year running to reduce waiting times to deliver access to justice, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk has today (11 August 2023) announced.’

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Ministry of Justice, 11th August 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Three-quarters of prisons in England and Wales in appalling conditions as overcrowding fears grow – The Guardian

Posted August 7th, 2023 in health & safety, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons, statistics by tracey

‘The vast majority of prisons are providing inadequate conditions or unacceptable treatment, according to an Observer investigation that has led to claims of prisoners being “warehoused” in a system in crisis.’

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The Guardian, 5th August 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Andy Malkinson: Living costs deduction scrapped for wrongly convicted – BBC News

‘A controversial rule which deducted living costs from compensation paid to wrongly jailed people has been scrapped.’

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BBC News, 6th August 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk