Prisoner sues after he is banned from smoking – Daily Telegraph
“A prisoner addicted to tobacco is seeking damages after he was banned from smoking for swearing at a prison officer.”
Daily Telegraph, 22nd March 2010
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Category: prisons
Short-term jail sentences cost Britain £10bn every year – The Independent
“The mismanagement of short-term prisoners is costing Britain up to £10bn a year, the public expenses watchdog warns today.”
The Independent, 10th March 2010
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Prisoners must be allowed to vote, Council of Europe warns Britain – The Guardian
“The Council of Europe has issued an unprecedented warning to the British government to take urgent steps to enable prisoners to vote in the forthcoming general election or face thousands more compensation claims.”
The Guardian, 9th March 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Inspectors call for review of ‘unsustainable’ indefinite prison sentences – Daily Telegraph
“Inspectors have called for a ministerial review of indefinite prison sentences, saying the current situation was ”unsustainable”.”
Daily Telegraph, 4th March 2010
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Inmates advised on early release options – The Independent
“Prisoners who will miss out on early release because a Government scheme was brought to an end are being advised to apply for another scheme to avoid “disappointment”, it was revealed today.”
The Independent, 1st March 2010
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Prisoner early release scheme to be halted – The Guardian
“The prison service’s early release scheme under which more than 80,000 prisoners have walked out of jail 18 days early is to end by 10 April, when the general election campaign is widely expected to be getting under way.”
The Guardian, 22nd February 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Appalling’ conditions at young offenders’ institute – The Independent
“A prisons watchdog has criticised ‘appalling’ conditions at a young offenders’ institute (YOI), it emerged today.”
The Independent, 17th February 2010
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Ex Cookham Wood inmate wins cancer damages case – BBC News
“A woman who developed breast cancer while in prison has won a High Court negligence claim after medical staff failed to diagnose the disease.”
BBC News, 12th February 2010
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Facebook takes down 30 prisoners’ pages after victim taunts – The Guardian
“Jack Straw, the justice secretary, says the 30 offending pages brought to the attention of Facebook had been removed within 48 hours.”
The Guardian, 11th February 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Prisoners ‘could sue’ if denied vote in general election – The Observer
“Tens of thousands of prisoners could sue if they are not allowed to vote in this year’s general election, the government is being warned.The UK, one of the few countries in the world to impose a blanket ban on prisoners voting, must give those held behind bars the vote in order to comply with a European legal ruling, dating back six years. However, ministers have been procrastinating on the issue, fearing that it will prove unpopular with the electorate.”
The Observer, 7th February 2010
Source: http://observer.guardian.co.uk
Gangster used Facebook to intimidate enemies from cell – The Independent
“Jack Straw, the Secretary of State for Justice, has announced a crackdown on prisoners using Facebook after it emerged that a gangland kingpin has spent the past two months using the social networking site to intimidate his enemies.”
The Independent, 31st January 2010
Source: www.independent.co.uk
MPs warn of criminal justice ‘crisis’ – Law Society’s Gazette
“A committee of MPs has warned that the criminal justice system is ‘facing a crisis of sustainability’ as government spending on prisons takes resources away from other aspects of criminal justice.”
Law Society’s Gazette, 18th January 2010
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Prison population ‘should be cut’ by third, say MPs – BBC News
“The number of inmates in England and Wales’ jails should be cut by a third, and the money saved put into community penalties, a report by MPs has said.”
BBC News, 14th January 2010
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Release of secret child punishment manual ordered – The Guardian
“The information commissioner has said that a secret prison service punishment manual used in privately run child jails should be made public after a three-year freedom of information battle. The 114-page Physical Control in Care training manual details restraint techniques authorised for use on children in secure training centres.”
The Guardian, 10th January 2010
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Deaths in prison custody 2009 – Ministry of Justice
“The Ministry of Justice has announced today that there were 60 apparently self-inflicted deaths among prisoners in England and Wales in 2009.”
Ministry of Justice, 1st January 2010
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
Women prison places reduced to fund community services – Ministry of Justice
“Vulnerable women offenders are to get more support in the community to turn away from crime.”
Ministry of Justice, 14th December 2009
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
Woman sues Ministry of Justice after ‘prison doctors failed to spot breast cancer’ – Daily Telegraph
“A woman who says prison doctors failed to spot potentially fatal breast cancer when she was in prison has launched a bid for damages at the High Court.”
Daily Telegraph, 8th December 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Delivering offender management services – Ministry of Justice
“A document setting out the high-level strategic priorities that the Ministry of Justice requires the NOMS Agency to deliver in 2010-11.”
Ministry of Justice, 3rd December 2009
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
‘Failing mental health’ – BBC Law in Action
“Ninety percent of people in prison in England and Wales have a mental health problem.”
BBC Law in Action, 10th November 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
R (Chester) v Secretary of State for Justice and another – WLR Daily
R (Chester) v Secretary of State for Justice and another [2009] WLR (D) 316
“Where a United Kingdom court had made a declaration of incompatability [sic] pursuant to s 3(1) of the Human Rights Act 1998 in respect of legislation and where the Government was in the process of putting forward legislation to Parliament and no further vindication of the claimants rights was necessary, the court would not exercise its discretion so as to make a further declaration of incompatability in respect of the same or similar legislation.”
WLR Daily, 4th November 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.
