Plan to put prisoners in court cells – The Observer

Posted October 15th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“The Ministry of Justice has drawn up emergency plans to house prisoners in court cells in what the Conservatives last night claimed was ‘a cynical attempt’ to manage the jails crisis and buy Gordon Brown more time after a week of bad news.”

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The Observer, 14th October 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Emergency release for hundreds in prisons to ease record overcrowding – The Times

Posted October 10th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“Jack Straw is preparing to announce emergency measures to release hundreds more offenders early in the face of record levels of prison overcrowding.”

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The Times, 10th October 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Private jail needs public sector rescue, says chief inspector – The Guardian

Posted October 9th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“One of the most troubled privately-run jails in Britain urgently needs a team of public sector managers to come in and bail it out, according to a report by the chief inspector of prisons published today.”

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The Guardian, 9th October 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

15 women’s jails to be shut, with offenders offered detox and help – The Times

Posted October 1st, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“Fifteen women’s jails in England and Wales would close and be replaced with small custodial units in the biggest prison shake-up under consideration by the Justice Ministry.”

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The Times, 1st October 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Prisoners may be given 20 per cent cut in sentences to ease crowding – The Times

Posted October 1st, 2007 in news, prisons, sentencing by sally

“Ministers are investigating reducing the length of time that prisoners spend in jail by 20 per cent as an emergency measure to cut the total number of inmates, which yesterday reached a record 81,135.”

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The Times, 29th September 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Inmates ‘forcibly strip-searched’ – BBC News

Posted September 28th, 2007 in news, prisons, young offenders by sally

“Young offenders are being forcibly strip searched according to a report by prison inspectors.”

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BBC News, 27th September 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk  

‘Disaster area’ prison and probation agency to be scrapped in weeks – The Guardian

Posted September 28th, 2007 in news, prisons, probation by sally

“The government’s troubled £2.6bn programme to manage convicted criminals in order to cut reoffending rates is to be scrapped within weeks, the Guardian has learned.”

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The Guardian, 28th September 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Crowded jails ‘threaten public’ – BBC News

Posted September 26th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“Overcrowded jails are presenting a threat to the public, the Chief Inspector of Prisons has told the BBC.”

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BBC News, 26th September 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Multimillion pound “shambolic” penal agency to be axed – The Observer

Posted September 24th, 2007 in news, prisons, probation, rehabilitation by sally

“The government was accused last night of presiding over a ‘shambolic penal policy’ after it emerged it is to dismantle its multibillion pound flagship programme to protect the public and cut crime.”

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The Observer, 23rd September 2007

Source: http://observer.guardian.co.uk 

600 died in custody last year, report says – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 21st, 2007 in news, prisons, statistics by sally

“As many as 600 people died in custody last year in England and Wales, a new report is expected to say.”

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Daily Telegraph, 21st September 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

New anti-terror jail to replace Paddington Green station – The Guardian

Posted September 21st, 2007 in news, prisons, terrorism by sally

“A new maximum security police station to hold up to 30 terrorism suspects ‘for protracted periods’ is being planned to replace the 1960s Paddington Green police station in London.”

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The Guardian, 21st September 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Costs soar as convicts held in police custody – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 17th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“The Government has been forced to house more than 45,000 prisoners in police cells under emergency measures to ease the jail overcrowding crisis.”

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Daily Telegraph, 16th September 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Regina v Montgomery – Times Law Report

Posted September 6th, 2007 in escape from custody, law reports, prisons by sally

Prisoner failing to return is not an escaper

Regina v Montgomery

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

“Where a prisoner who was on temporary release from prison failed to return to prison at the expiry of his release period, he could not be said to have escaped from custody and could not therefore be guilty of the common-law offence of escape from custody.”

The Times, 6th September 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk 

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication. 

‘Too few cells’ under prison plan – BBC News

Posted September 3rd, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“Predictions for the prison population suggest government building plans may not provide enough cells for inmates.”

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BBC News, 31st August 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

More prisons are not the answer to punishing criminals, says poll – The Guardian

Posted August 28th, 2007 in news, prisons, sentencing by sally

“A Guardian/ICM poll published today overturns the assumption that the public think tough prison sentences are the best way to tackle crime. It shows that a majority of voters think the government should scrap its prison building programme and find other ways to punish criminals.”

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The Guardian, 28th August 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lack of assessment may lead to inmates’ release – The Independent

Posted August 21st, 2007 in news, prisons, probation by sally

“The prospect of dangerous prisoners being released was raised yesterday by a High Court Judge who ruled that an inmate should be freed because of lack of facilities to assess whether he remained a threat to the public.”

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The Independent, 21st August 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Crisis court cells ‘inadequate’ – BBC News

Posted August 20th, 2007 in courts, detention, news, prisons by sally

“Serious concerns have been raised in a new report into the use of a London court’s cells during the prison overcrowding emergency this summer.”

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BBC News, 20th August 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prisons facing fresh overcrowding crisis – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 15th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“Ministers are facing a new prison population crisis despite ordering the early release of thousands of inmates.”

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Daily Telegraph, 15th August 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

‘Endemic squalor’ at Pentonville – BBC News

Posted August 9th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“A damning report into Pentonville Prison has revealed “endemic squalor” at the oldest Victorian era jail.”

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BBC News, 9th August 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

£950m bill forces rethink on computer tracking of offenders – The Guardian

Posted August 9th, 2007 in news, prisons, probation by sally

“The future of the computer system that is supposed to keep track of 300,000 offenders a year who are in prison or on probation is in doubt after ministers halted the programme this week. The moratorium follows an admission that the original £234m costing ‘proved to be optimistic’.”

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The Guardian, 9th August 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk