Jack Straw sets out prisons and probation plans – Ministry of Justice

Posted April 28th, 2009 in news, prisons, probation by sally

“Justice Secretary Jack Straw today announced new plans on prison capacity and the management of both prisons and probation, better to protect the public and further reduce reoffending.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 27th April 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Straw scraps Titan prisons plan – BBC News

Posted April 27th, 2009 in news, prisons by sally

“Plans for three 2,500-place Titan prisons have been scrapped, Justice Secretary Jack Straw has confirmed.”

Full story

BBC News, 27th April 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Inside Yarl’s Wood: Britain’s shame over child detainees – The Independent

Posted April 27th, 2009 in children, news, prisons by sally

“Children held in the infamous Yarl’s Wood immigration detention centre are being denied urgent medical treatment, handled violently and left at risk of serious harm, a damning report by the Children’s Commissioner for England will say tomorrow.”

Full story

The Independent, 26th April 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Super-jails are first to feel squeeze from Whitehall – The Independent

Posted April 24th, 2009 in news, prisons by sally

“Jack Straw abandons contentious proposal to fix overcrowding in prisons.”

Full story

The Independent, 24th April 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Regina (Coleman) v Governor of Wayland Prison and Another – Times Law Reports

Posted April 23rd, 2009 in judicial review, law reports, prisons by sally

Regina (Coleman) v Governor of Wayland Prison and Another

Queen’s Bench Division

“A prison governor had no power, whether under the Prison Rules (SI 1999 No 728) or the common law, to destroy a mobile telephone confiscated from a prisoner.”

The Times, 23rd April 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Kneejerk policies a strain on prison system, says charity – The Guardian

Posted April 14th, 2009 in news, prisons, rehabilitation by sally

“The government is failing to rehabilitate offenders, leaving charities to pick up the pieces and running the risk of further strain on the overstretched prison system, according to damning research published today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th April 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Inside child prisons – BBC Today

Posted April 14th, 2009 in children, news, prisons by sally

“There are currently around 300 children aged 10 to 17 locked up in England and Wales. ”

Full story

BBC Today, 13th April 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prisoners to get right to vote after 140 years following European ruling – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 9th, 2009 in elections, news, prisons by sally

“Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, is considering allowing anyone sentenced to less than four years the right to cast a ballot. This would result in more than 28,000 prisoners voting.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 9th April 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

R (Coleman) v Governor of Wayland Prison and another – WLR Daily

Posted April 7th, 2009 in judicial review, law reports, prisons by sally

R (Coleman) v Governor of Wayland Prison and another; [2009] WLR (D) 132

“While a mobile telephone found in the possession of a prisoner might properly be taken away from him, neither rule 43(5) of the Prison Rules 1999 nor the common law provided a prison governor with power to destroy the mobile telephone.”

WLR Daily, 6th April 2009

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Verdict on prison death quashed – BBC News

Posted April 3rd, 2009 in inquests, news, prisons, suicide by sally

“A fresh inquest has been ordered into the death of a prison inmate who was found hanged in his cell.”

Full story

BBC News, 3rd April 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Early prison releases top 50,000 – BBC News

Posted April 1st, 2009 in early release, news, prisons by sally

“More than 50,000 criminals have been released from prison early under a scheme aimed at reducing overcrowding, Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures show.”

Full story

BBC News, 31st March 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prisoners ‘to be able to vote at next election’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 30th, 2009 in elections, news, prisons by sally

“Prisoners could be given the vote by next year in a double offensive to force Jack Straw to implement a controversial European ruling.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 29th March 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Emergency law to halt inmates’ court payouts for slopping out – The Guardian

Posted March 20th, 2009 in compensation, human rights, news, prisons by sally

“Ministers are to introduce emergency legislation to prevent thousands of prison inmates pursuing more than £55m in compensation for a breach of human rights over ‘slopping out’.”

Full story

The Guardian, 20th March 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

More power for JPs raises fear of prison overcrowding crisis – The Times

Posted March 20th, 2009 in magistrates, news, prisons by sally

“Longer prison sentences for assault, theft and benefit fraud are likely under plans to overhaul the courts system. But the proposed stronger powers for magistrates could bring the country’s overcrowded prisons to breaking point, campaign groups say.”

Full story

The Times, 20th March 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Jack Straw spent £75 million on temporary cells – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 16th, 2009 in detention, news, prisons by sally

“A scheme to house prisoners in police stations because of prison overcrowding has cost taxpayers £75 million.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 14th March 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Charles Bronson recording at premiere sparks calls for investigation – The Guardian

Posted March 12th, 2009 in news, prisons by sally

“Prison officers have demanded an inquiry after a recording of the voice of Britain’s most notorious prisoner was played at the premiere of a film based on his life.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th March 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Abandoned jail and probation computer project cost £155m – The Guardian

Posted March 12th, 2009 in news, prisons, probation by sally

“An attempt to introduce a computer system for the prison and probation services that was abandoned after three years, after it had already cost £155m in public money, was last night labelled ‘a masterclass in sloppy project management’.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th March 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prisoners paid £5m compensation for early release – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 9th, 2009 in compensation, early release, news, prisons by sally

“Criminals released early from prison under a scheme to end overcrowding have been paid more than £5 million in compensation, official figures show.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th March 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Is this Britain’s most successful prison? – The Independent

Posted March 9th, 2009 in news, prisons by sally

“HMP Grendon is a prison with a mission, a unique high-security facility where inmates face up to their crimes through group therapy, role-playing and psychoanalysis. And studies show this pioneering approach to rehabilitation produces extraordinary results.”

Full story

The Independent, 7th March 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Treating offenders with mental health issues ‘would save £700m’ – The Guardian

Posted February 24th, 2009 in mental health, news, prisons by sally

“The government could shave £700m annually from criminal justice costs if it overhauled the process for diverting offenders with mental health problems from jail to the mental health system, according to new research.”

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd February 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk