Offender behaviour not tackled before release – report – BBC News

Posted July 19th, 2012 in news, prisons, rehabilitation by sally

“Serious criminals are being released from prison without going on programmes designed to change their offending behaviour, says a report.”

Full story

BBC News, 19th July 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Children in custody at five-year low – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 17th, 2012 in children, detention, news, prisons, statistics, young offenders by sally

“The number of children in custody has hit a record low five years after the start of a programme designed to limit the use of prison, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Justice today.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 16th July 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

UK accused of dithering over prisoners’ voting rights – The Guardian

Posted July 16th, 2012 in EC law, elections, human rights, interpretation, news, prisons by sally

“The government has ‘painted itself into a corner’ over its refusal to grant prisoners’ voting rights, according to Europe’s most senior human rights official.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th July 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Courts should take note of Strasbourg’s doctrine of deference – UK Human Rights Blog

“This case about prisoner’s pay provides an interesting up to date analysis of the role of the doctrine of ‘margin of appreciation’ and its applicability in domestic courts.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 6th July 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Prisoner wins right to enjoy a cup of tea at night – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 6th, 2012 in complaints, news, ombudsmen, prisons by sally

“The unnamed prisoner had complained it was unfair he was not allowed to make a hot drink or keep a Thermos flask in his cell after being locked up for the night. After being refused permission by the prison governor, he then took his case to the newly appointed Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, Nigel Newcomen CBE, who agreed that banning such a luxury was in breach of the rules governing how prisoners should be held.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 5th July 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Regina (S) v Secretary of State for Justice Regina (KF) v Same – WLR Daily

Posted July 5th, 2012 in employment, law reports, prisons, remuneration, victims by sally

Regina (S) v Secretary of State for Justice; Regina (KF) v Same [2012] EWHC 1810 (Admin); [2012] WLR (D) 191

“Guidance in prison service instructions as to the approach to be followed by prison governors when exercising their discretion to make deductions from prisoners’ earnings to raise funds to support victims of crime was not unlawful.”

WLR Daily, 3rd July 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Prisoners lose victim support claim – The Independent

Posted July 3rd, 2012 in employment, news, prisons, remuneration, victims by sally

“Prisoners who took jobs outside jail have lost their High Court claim that a levy on their wages which goes to victim support is too high.”

Full story

The Independent, 3rd July 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Shaun Beasley’s Parc Prison death partly due to neglect, inquest jury rules – BBC News

Posted June 29th, 2012 in inquests, negligence, news, prisons, suicide by sally

“A prisoner took his own life, in part due to neglect by a jail’s former healthcare provider, an inquest jury has ruled.”

Full story

BBC News, 29th June 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Baby P’s stepfather compensation bid over ‘napalm’ prison attack – Daily Telegraph

“The stepfather of Baby P, Steven Barker, has launched a £40,000 compensation bid after he was injured in a violent prison attack, it has been reported.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 25th June 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Theresa May ready for showdown with courts over foreign prisoners’ rights – The Guardian

Posted June 11th, 2012 in appeals, deportation, families, human rights, immigration, news, prisons, remuneration by sally

“Theresa May is heading for a renewed showdown with the courts over the rights of foreign prisoners battling to avoid deportation after signalling that she would bring in primary legislation if judges failed to implement new rules.”

Full story

The Guardian, 10th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Psychopath rapist sues Home Office after he was attacked by prisoners in jail – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 29th, 2012 in assault, compensation, news, prisons by sally

“A man who raped two women is suing the Home Office for compensation of £500,000 after saying he was attacked by two fellow prisoners.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 28th May 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

European Court of Human Rights’ respect for democracy: prisoner voting – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted May 28th, 2012 in elections, human rights, news, prisons by sally

“There has been some discussion on the UK Human Rights Blog about the judgments in the Hirst v UK/Scoppula v Italy cases, the latest of which was given this week. Simply put, the judgments held (taken together) that the UK’s blanket ban on prisoner voting infringed a prisoner’s voting rights; to comply with the Convention, a ban on prisoner voting would have to involve an exercise of discretion. The growing legal discussion has been learned and has dissected the reasons expressed by the ECtHR. However, from the perspective of a non-specialist human rights lawyer, the discussion seems curiously inverted. It is suggested that the non-lawyer would naturally start an analysis of the competing views not by analysing the caselaw of the ECtHR and asking what room to manoeuvre the latest judgment gives the UK government, but by asking what the court had to say about the recent expression of the will of the people, expressed in the vote in Parliament, which supported the continuation of the ban. It is important for lawyers to address these more general issues for the public to maintain confidence in the system of European human rights law.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 25th May 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

The case for letting prisoners vote – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted May 25th, 2012 in elections, human rights, news, prisons by sally

“Last Tuesday saw the latest episode in the prisoner voting legal saga with the European Court of Human Rights’ Grand Chamber’s judgment reversing the Chamber judgment which found Italy’s automatic ban on voting for prisoners serving over 3 years in prison (and a lifetime ban with the possibility of future relief for those sentenced to more than 5 years) in breach of Article 3 of Protocol 1 to the European Convention on Human Rights.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 24th May 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

We must defy Strasbourg on prisoner votes – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 25th, 2012 in elections, human rights, news, prisons by sally

“The judges in Europe have exceeded their authority by trying to overrule British law – by David Davis and Jack Straw.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 24th May 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Littlehey jail mutiny pair given longer sentences – The Independent

“Two convicted criminals who attacked prison officers and held a mutiny inside their jail have been handed longer sentences.”

Full story

The Independent, 24th May 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK to resist giving prisoners the vote despite European court ruling – The Guardian

Posted May 24th, 2012 in delay, elections, human rights, news, prisons by sally

“David Cameron believes he will be able to resist implementing a ruling from the European court of human rights that prisoners must be granted the right to vote during his time in Downing Street.”

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd May 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ken Clarke: popular press to blame for thousands of criminals being in jail needlessly – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 24th, 2012 in lord chancellor, media, news, prisons by sally

“Justice Secretary Ken Clarke has blamed the popular press for putting thousands of criminals in jail who do not need to be there.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 23rd May 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

European Court of Human Rights retreats but doesn’t surrender on prisoner votes – UK Human Rights

Posted May 23rd, 2012 in elections, human rights, news, prisons, rule of law by sally

“The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that states must allow for at least some prisoners to vote, but that states have a wide discretion as to deciding which prisoners. This amounts to a retreat on prisoner votes, but certainly no surrender. As I predicted, the court reaffirmed the principles set out in Hirst No. 2, that an automatic and indiscriminate bans breach the European Convention on Human Rights, but also reaffirmed that it was up to states to decide how to remove those indiscriminate bans.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 22nd May 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Prisoners must be given right to vote, European court rules – The Guardian

Posted May 23rd, 2012 in elections, human rights, news, prisons, rule of law by sally

“Prisoners in the UK must be given the right to vote, the European court of human rights (ECHR) has ruled, though ministers may determine which inmates should be enfranchised.”

Full story

The Guardian, 22nd May 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Strasbourg’s prisoner votes judgment amounts to a retreat, but no surrender – The Guardian

Posted May 23rd, 2012 in elections, human rights, news, prisons, rule of law by sally

“The government should now accept its responsibilities under the human rights convention. Any other reaction will significantly harm the rule of law.”

Full story

The Guardian, 22nd May 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk