Reducing reoffending in London – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 10th, 2008 in consultations, press releases, prisons, probation, recidivists by sally

“A consultation setting out proposed priorities for the delivery of prison and probation services in the capital and the joint work between agencies to reduce reoffending.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 8th October 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

‘Crippled’ prisons risk violence – BBC News

Posted October 7th, 2008 in news, prisons by sally

“The president of the Prison Governors Association is to warn of a ‘serious risk’ of disturbances in jails because of a shortage of resources.”

Full story

BBC News, 7th October 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Private ‘child jails’ to blame for almost half of restraint injuries – The Independent

Posted October 6th, 2008 in children, news, prisons by sally

“Britain’s secure training centres (STCs) – privately run ‘child prisons’– are using a disproportionate amount of physical force to control children in their care.”

Full story

The Independent, 5th October 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Time for a rethink on Titan jails? – The Guardian

Posted October 3rd, 2008 in prisons, special report by sally

“Incarcerating more and more offenders is supposedly not the point of new supersize prisons. Anna Bawden inspects plans to make them centres of learning.”

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd October 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jails release 36,600 criminals to ease overcrowding – The Guardian

Posted October 1st, 2008 in early release, news, prisons by sally

“A total of 36,661 convicted criminals have been released early from jail under a government scheme to cut overcrowding in prisons, the Ministry of Justice said today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 30th September 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Early release inmates on the run – BBC News

Posted September 30th, 2008 in early release, news, prisons by sally

“More than 100 prisoners freed under an early-release scheme are on the run after being told to come back to jail, Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures show.”

Full story

BBC News, 30th September 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Convicts push for benefits rights – BBC News

Posted September 22nd, 2008 in benefits, news, prisons by sally

“Two inmates of Broadmoor secure mental hospital – convicted of murder and rape – are arguing for the right to claim full state benefits.”

Full story

BBC News, 19th September 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Give prisoners right to vote, says UN – The Guardian

Posted September 19th, 2008 in elections, news, prisons by sally

“Prisoners in British jails should be allowed to vote and the government should enact legislation to that effect, according to a United Nations report. The call was welcomed yesterday by prison reform groups.”

Full story

The Guardian, 19th September 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Killer and rapist launch bid for state benefits – The Times

Posted September 19th, 2008 in benefits, news, prisons by sally

“A convicted murderer and a rapist have launched a High Court action that could see convicted serial killers including Beverley Allitt and Peter Sutcliffe receive thousands of pounds in benefits while still incarcerated.”

Full story

The Times, 19th September 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Prisoner numbers could hit 95,800 by 2015, says minister – The Guardian

Posted September 18th, 2008 in news, prisons by sally

“The prison population in England and Wales could hit 95,800 by 2015 – a rise of nearly 15% on the present figure – the Ministry of Justice said today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 18th September 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jack Straw says 50,000 prisoners to be freed from jail early by January – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 18th, 2008 in early release, news, prisons by sally

“Nearly 50,000 prisoners will have been released early by the beginning of next year to ease jail overcrowding, Jack Straw has admitted.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 17th September 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Jack Straw agrees prisoner transfer deal with Vietnam – Ministry of Justice

Posted September 15th, 2008 in extradition, press releases, prisons, Vietnam by sally

“Vietnamese nationals serving prison sentences in the UK will now be able to return home to complete their sentence following an agreement signed by Justice Secretary Jack Straw today.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 12th September 2008

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Security fears as 116 mentally ill criminals escape in a year – The Times

Posted September 9th, 2008 in mental health, news, prisons by sally

“England’s director of mental health care today called for tougher standards for secure hospitals after it emerged that at least 116 mentally ill criminals escaped last year, more than 20 times the rate of escapes by offenders held in prison.”

Full story

The Times, 9th September 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Mystery inmate refuses to leave jail – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 5th, 2008 in news, prisons by sally

“The male prisoner, who is a foreign national, has exploited a loophole in the system by refusing to divulge his real name and country of origin.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 5th September 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Half of all criminals re-offend within a year – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 5th, 2008 in news, prisons, recidivists by sally

“Nearly half of all criminals released from jail reoffended within a year of being let out, figures have disclosed.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 5th September 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Cherie Booth tells politicians to stop ‘hysterically’ hyping crime – The Independent

Posted September 5th, 2008 in crime, news, prisons by sally

“The ‘hysterical rhetoric of politicians attempting to ride the tiger of public opinion’ is fuelling the fear of crime, according to a commission headed by Cherie Booth. The Commission on English Prisons Today, led by the wife of the former prime minister, protested over the record prison population reached under the government led until last year by Tony Blair.”

Full story

The Independent, 5th September 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Charity Nacro in bid to run two new prisons – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 2nd, 2008 in news, prisons by sally

“Nacro, which attempts to cut crime by finding practical work for offenders, has formed a consortium with the private security firm G4S, a drugs charity and a construction company, its chief executive Paul Cavadino has confirmed.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 2nd September 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Record numbers of ex-soldiers in UK jails as combat trauma blamed – The Guardian

Posted September 1st, 2008 in armed forces, news, prisons, violent offenders by sally

“The number of soldiers who end up in prison for violent offences has increased dramatically in the past four years, according to a report that has raised concerns about the mental health of military personnel returning from war zones. Compiled by probation officers, the report estimates that at least 8,500 former soldiers are in custody – 9 per cent of the UK prison population and nearly double the estimate of a previous study by the Home Office in 2004, which put the figure at 5 per cent.”

Full story

The Guardian, 31st August 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Titan prisons to be rebranded as ‘cluser jails’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 1st, 2008 in news, prisons by sally

“Controversial ‘Titan prisons’ proposed by the Government to ease jail overcrowding have met with such widespread opposition that ministers are considering changing their name in a ‘rebranding’ exercise.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 31st August 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Prison reformers condemn new ‘Titan’ jails as a ‘gigantic mistake’ – The Independent

Posted August 28th, 2008 in news, prisons by sally

“Proposals to build three huge new jails would ‘squander’ public money and leave Britain the prisons capital of Europe, a coalition of 34 penal reform groups and unions warn today.”

Full story

The Independent, 28th August 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk