Appeal court orders release of severely disabled prisoner – The Guardian

Posted February 11th, 2013 in appeals, drug trafficking, early release, medical treatment, news, prisons by sally

“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

Posted January 31st, 2013 in judicial review, news, prisons by sally

“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

“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

Posted January 28th, 2013 in children, mental health, news, prisons, United Nations, young offenders by sally

“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

Posted January 28th, 2013 in budgets, housing, news, prisons, women by sally

“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

Posted January 28th, 2013 in mental health, news, prisons, United Nations, women by sally

“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

Posted January 21st, 2013 in compensation, delay, freedom of information, human rights, news, parole, prisons by sally

“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

Posted January 10th, 2013 in news, prisons by sally

“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

Posted January 10th, 2013 in news, prisons by sally

“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

Posted January 8th, 2013 in courts, news, prisons, reports by sally

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

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BBC News, 8th January 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

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

Posted January 7th, 2013 in budgets, early release, news, prisons, sentencing by sally

“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

Posted December 21st, 2012 in internet, legislation, prisons, telecommunications by sally

Full text of Act

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

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

Posted December 12th, 2012 in case management, delay, deportation, detention, immigration, news, prisons, reports by sally

“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

Posted December 12th, 2012 in deportation, detention, immigration, news, prisons, reports by sally

“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

Posted December 10th, 2012 in bills, elections, enforcement, human rights, interpretation, news, prisons by sally

“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

Posted December 10th, 2012 in news, prisons, rehabilitation, statistics, young offenders by sally

“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

Posted December 4th, 2012 in detention, judicial review, news, prisons, punishment, young offenders by sally

“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

Posted November 30th, 2012 in elections, human rights, news, prisons by sally

“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

Posted November 26th, 2012 in charities, housing, news, prisons, recidivists, rehabilitation by sally

“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

Posted November 23rd, 2012 in bills, elections, human rights, prisons by sally

“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