New Acts – legislation.gov.uk

Posted December 21st, 2018 in animal cruelty, civil justice, health, housing, legislation, prisons, social services by tracey

2018 c. 34 – Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018

2018 c. 32 – Prisons (Interference with Wireless Telegraphy) Act 2018

2018 c. 31 – Health and Social Care (National Data Guardian) Act 2018

2018 c. 30 – Ivory Act 2018

2018 c. 29 – Civil Liability Act 2018

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

Trio of justice bills become law – Ministry of Justice

Posted December 20th, 2018 in bills, compensation, courts, judiciary, personal injuries, press releases, prisons by tracey

‘Justice Secretary David Gauke today spoke of his pride in a department “delivering real change”, after 3 important justice bills all became law on the same day (20 December 2018).’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 20th December 2018

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

Anti-drone technology could be introduced in English prisons – The Guardian

Posted December 19th, 2018 in aircraft, drug trafficking, news, prisons, telecommunications by sally

‘The government could introduce an anti-drone system to stop drug smuggling in English prisons after a successful six-month experiment in Guernsey prompted ministers to consider a U-turn about the technology.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 18th December 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Puppy therapy to help prisoners with mental health and addiction launched for the first time in the UK – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 18th, 2018 in animals, drug abuse, mental health, news, prisons by sally

‘Puppy therapy to help prisoners with mental health and addiction is being offered in the first scheme of its kind in the UK.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 17th December 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

A third of prisons hold at least one transgender inmate, MoJ says – The Guardian

Posted November 30th, 2018 in news, prisons, statistics, transgender persons by sally

‘More than a third of prisons in England and Wales hold at least one transgender inmate, official statistics have revealed.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 30th November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Jails are failing to get a grip on violence and drugs, says chief inspector – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 22nd, 2018 in drug abuse, news, prisons, reports, self-harm, suicide, violence by tracey

‘Britain’s jails are failing to get a grip on record levels of violence, suicides, self-harm and drug-taking which are all getting worse, the chief inspector of prisons warned yesterday.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 22nd November 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Woman who died in prison was left alone in cell after being found with ligatures around her neck, inquest finds – The Independent

‘“Deeply inadequate” prison procedures contributed to the death of a young woman who was left alone in her cell after being found with ligatures around her neck, an inquest has found.’

Full Story

The Independent, 20th November 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Rise in prison suicides prompts calls to tackle overcrowding – The Guardian

Posted November 20th, 2018 in mental health, news, prisons, suicide by sally

‘The number of suicides among prisoners this year has already exceeded 2017’s death toll, prompting penal reform campaigners to renew calls for urgent action to tackle overcrowding.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 19th November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Charles Bronson cleared of prison governor attack – The Independent

Posted November 16th, 2018 in attempts, grievous bodily harm, news, prison officers, prisons by tracey

‘Notorious inmate Charles Bronson has been cleared of trying to cause grievous bodily harm a senior prison officer.’

Full Story

The Independent, 15th November 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

HMP Birmingham: ‘Signs of improvement’ at ‘worst’ prison – BBC News

Posted November 12th, 2018 in contracting out, news, prisons, reports, violence, violent offenders by tracey

‘A troubled prison that was taken over by the government is showing early signs of improvement, inspectors say.’

Full Story

BBC News, 12th November 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prisons are new frontline in fighting crime, says Gauke – The Guardian

Posted November 2nd, 2018 in crime, criminal justice, news, police, prisons by sally

‘Jails have emerged as a new frontline in fighting crime because advances in technology mean prison walls alone are no longer effective in stopping criminals, the justice secretary has told police chiefs.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 1st November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Inspectors warn of worsening conditions for mentally ill inmates – The Guardian

Posted November 1st, 2018 in delay, hospitals, mental health, news, prisons by sally

‘Mentally ill prisoners in the largest high-security jail in the UK face “totally unacceptable” delays in being transferred to a secure hospital, leading to a further deterioration in their conditions, inspectors have said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 1st November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Poor healthcare in jails is killing inmates, says NHS watchdog – The Guardian

‘Almost half of England’s jails are providing inadequate medical care to inmates, whose health is being damaged by widespread failings, the NHS watchdog has told MPs in a scathing briefing leaked to the Observer.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 27th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Seven jailed over plot to fly drugs into UK prisons with drones – The Guardian

Posted October 29th, 2018 in aircraft, conspiracy, drug trafficking, news, prisons, sentencing by sally

‘Seven members of a gang that used drones to airlift £500,000 worth of drugs into prisons have been given jail terms ranging from three to 10 years.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 26th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Self-harm and violent attacks in prisons hit record high as incidents rise by 20% in a year, figures show – The Independent

Posted October 26th, 2018 in news, prisons, self-harm, statistics, violence by tracey

‘Incidents of self-harm in jails across England and Wales increased to 49,565 in the year to June 2018, with the number of self-harming individuals up by 10 per cent, despite a reduction in the overall prison population.’

Full Story

The Independent, 25th October 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Gender Recognition Act: ‘Why we want identity rules changed’ – BBC News

‘If you want to legally change your gender in the UK, first a doctor has to diagnose you with a medical condition.’

Full Story

BBC News, 17th October 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Out of control’: prison watchdog warns of synthetic drug crisis – The Guardian

Posted October 12th, 2018 in death in custody, drug abuse, news, prisons by sally

‘An epidemic of synthetic drugs in prisons is “completely out of control” and the “new normal”, a prison deaths watchdog has warned, as signs emerge that the impact is spreading to immigration removal centres and bail hostels.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 11th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Karen White: how ‘manipulative’ transgender inmate attacked again – The Guardian

Posted October 12th, 2018 in news, prisons, sexual offences, transgender persons by sally

‘Transgender politics – like any politics – can be divisive. Yet in the case of Karen White, who is legally still a man but was put in a female-only prison, both sides of the transgender rights debate are united in the belief mistakes were made.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 11th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Exeter prison condemned by inspectors for violence and drug use – The Guardian

Posted October 9th, 2018 in criminal justice, drug abuse, news, prisons, violence by tracey

‘The crisis-struck HMP Exeter prison, one of only four to have been subjected to special emergency action, is “very violent” and has overt drug use that is not regarded as exceptional by staff, according to inspectors.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 9th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Specialist financial crime unit to crack down on prison gangs – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 4th, 2018 in crime, money laundering, press releases, prisons by tracey

‘A new specialist unit will identify and freeze bank accounts linked to organised crime behind bars, Justice Secretary David Gauke announced today.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 2nd October 2018

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