Jail sentences ‘to depend on available space’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 5th, 2007 in news, prisons, sentencing by sally

“Criminals should be sentenced according to the spaces available in jail for them, a wide-ranging review of the prison service is expected to recommend.”

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Daily Telegraph, 5th December 2007
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk 

Hopes pinned on American-style sentencing grid to reduce prison overcrowding – The Times

Posted December 5th, 2007 in news, prisons, sentencing by sally

“Radical proposals to examine a US-style system of sentencing intended to control the number of offenders sent to overcrowded jails will be outlined by ministers today, The Times has learnt.”

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The Times, 5th December 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk 

Britain’s longest-serving prisoner dies – The Guardian

Posted November 20th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“Britain’s longest-serving prisoner, John Straffen, who was sentenced to hang more than half a century ago, has died in prison. Straffen, aged 77, was convicted of murdering a schoolgirl in 1952 and admitted killing two others, but his death sentence was commuted because he was ‘feeble-minded’. The Ministry of Justice said last night that Straffen had died in Frankland prison, County Durham, yesterday after an illness. He was believed to be on a list of around 20 prisoners, which includes the Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe, who were never to be released.”

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The Guardian, 20th November 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prison service faces drastic cuts – The Observer

Posted November 19th, 2007 in courts, criminal justice, prisons, special report by sally

“A dramatic plan to slash the number of prison officers and streamline courts in England and Wales is being drawn up by the government in an attempt to deliver £1bn in savings.”

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The Observer, 18th November 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prison overcrowding is at critical stage, says Lord Chief Justice – The Times

Posted November 16th, 2007 in news, prisons, sentencing by sally

“Britain’s most senior judge has given warning that the shortage of prison spaces was now ‘critical’ as a result of ministers’ failure to take account of the cost implications of their sentencing policies.”

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The Times, 16th November 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Longer sentences have led to jail crisis says top judge – The Guardian

Posted November 16th, 2007 in news, prisons, sentencing by sally

“The prison system is in a ‘critical situation’ and there must be a debate on linking sentencing to the resources available for punishing offenders the most senior judge in England and Wales, the lord chief justice, said last night.”

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The Guardian, 16th November 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Phone calls ‘cut jail suicides’ – BBC News

Posted November 14th, 2007 in news, prisons, suicide by sally

“Prison reformers have called for more support for new inmates in order to prevent suicides.”

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BBC News, 14th November 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Bribe’ is doubled for foreign prisoners who agree to leave Britain – The Times

Posted November 6th, 2007 in deportation, news, prisons by sally

“The Government has almost doubled to £1,500 the ‘bribe’ offered to foreign national prisoners to persuade them to return home and ease prison overcrowding, The Times has learnt.”

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The Times, 6th November 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

No jail for short-sentence offenders – The Observer

Posted November 6th, 2007 in news, prisons, sentencing by sally

“Criminals facing short prison sentences are to be kept out of jail and given community service because the system is so overcrowded, according to plans being drawn up by the Home Office.”

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The Observer, 4th November 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Criminals “must have terms cut in full jails” – The Times

Posted November 5th, 2007 in news, prisons, sentencing by sally

“Thousands of criminals could have their jail terms cut after one of Britain’s most senior judges said that courts were justified in giving lower sentences where prisoners faced overcrowded jails.”

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The Times, 5th November 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Prisoners released early reoffend – The Independent

Posted October 29th, 2007 in news, prisons, recidivists by sally

“More than 16,000 crimes were committed in a year by offenders released early from jail, the Government has disclosed.”

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The Independent, 27th October 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Deportation crisis forces two jails to hold only foreign prisoners – The Guardian

Posted October 24th, 2007 in deportation, news, prisons by sally

“Two prisons are exclusively holding foreign nationals serving less than four years with the expectation that they will then face deportation, it emerged yesterday.”

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The Guardian, 24th October 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Britain secretly converts prisons to detain foreign criminals only – The Times

Posted October 24th, 2007 in news, prisons by sally

“Two jails in England and Wales are occupied fully by foreign inmates as the Prison Service tries to cope with a large number of criminals from abroad.”

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The Times, 24th October 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk  

Prison ‘default’ for mentally ill – BBC News

Posted October 24th, 2007 in mental health, news, prisons by sally

“Too many people with mental health problems are ending up in prison when what they need is specialist care, a Prisons Inspectorate report suggests.”

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BBC News, 23rd October 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk  

Jailors claim right to strike under EU treaty – The Times

Posted October 22nd, 2007 in EC law, industrial action, news, prisons by sally

“Gordon Brown faces his first legal challenge under the new EU Charter of Fundamental Rights days after claiming to have won a watertight opt-out from the document for Britain.”

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The Times, 22nd October 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

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