MoJ considers specialist courts for issues such as domestic abuse – The Guardian

‘The potential for developing more US-style specialist tribunals – including courts dedicated to tackling the surge in domestic abuse cases – is being examined by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).’

Full story

The Guardian, 7th December 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prisons announcement – Ministry of Justice

Posted November 26th, 2015 in press releases, prisons, rehabilitation, women by tracey

‘Written Ministerial Statement made by the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Michael Gove.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 25th November 2015

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Gove admits the UK sentencing framework needs to be more sensitive, & 7 more things we learned at the 2015 Howard League AGM – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘Since his appointment as Justice Secretary & Lord Chancellor in May this year, the Rt Hon Michael Gove has maintained a fairly low profile. Aside from his Making Prisons Work speech in July, Mr Gove’s plans for the future of the Criminal Justice System have not been very clearly outlined. Although since his swearing in, to the delight of many, Gove has managed to overturn the previous Lord Chancellor, Chris Grayling’s ban on books for prisoners; scrapped plans to create a super youth prison; and halted massively controversial plans for the UK to undertake Saudi Arabian prison training contracts.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 6th November 2015

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Spending review: Nine new prisons to replace Victorian jails – BBC News

Posted November 9th, 2015 in budgets, Ministry of Justice, news, prisons, rehabilitation, statistics by sally

‘Nine new prisons will open in England and Wales – five by 2020 – under plans to close Victorian jails and sell them for housing, the government has said.’

Full story

BBC News, 9th November 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Violent offenders: Fears over management after release – BBC News

‘Is the system in place to manage dangerous offenders when they are released from prison keeping people safe?’

Full story

BBC News, 25th October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Britain’s most dangerous prisoners to get meditation lessons – The Guardian

Posted October 20th, 2015 in mental health, news, prisons, rehabilitation, violent offenders by sally

‘Prison staff are to teach meditation to Britain’s most dangerous criminals in an attempt to aid their rehabilitation and quell their violent impulses.’

Full story

The Guardian, 19th October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gove plans to give prison governors more powers to educate and reform – The Guardian

Posted October 5th, 2015 in budgets, education, news, prisons, recidivists, rehabilitation, release on licence by sally

‘Prison governors could be given greater powers to educate, punish and reform inmates under plans being considered by Michael Gove to relax the grip of Whitehall on the penal system.’

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Revised Rehab Code introduces “streamlined” process for low-value claims – Litigation Futures

Posted October 1st, 2015 in codes of practice, insurance, news, personal injuries, rehabilitation by sally

‘The updated Rehabiliation Code is set to come into operation on 1 December and for the first time includes a separate section for lower-value claims in recognition of the need for a more streamlined process in cases worth less than £25,000.’

Full story

Litigation Futures, 30th September 2015

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

No one has the right to expect the State to make them better parents – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 21st, 2015 in care orders, children, families, medical treatment, news, rehabilitation by sally

‘In the course of care proceedings, they had been compelled to pay about £200,000 to provide a therapeutic residential placement for a family pursuant to section 38(6) of the Children Act 1989. The case had a happy ending; the family stayed together. But the local authority wanted to make it clear for the future that this had been an improper use of section 38(6) of the Children Act 1989 and argued that the court could not compel a local authority to pay for therapy for parents under a statutory provision directed at assessments of the child.The House of Lords – as they then were – agreed. However, they went further than simply restating the purpose behind section 38(6).’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 18th September 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Lord Chancellor launches review of youth justice system – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 16th, 2015 in lord chancellor, news, recidivists, rehabilitation, statistics, young offenders by tracey

‘The Lord Chancellor has announced a departmental review of the youth justice system, which will look at whether current arrangements are fit for purpose. It will be led by Charlie Taylor, former chief executive of the National College of Teaching and Leadership and an ex-head teacher.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 15th Septembr 2015

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Review of prison education: terms of reference – Ministry of Justice

‘A review of prison education to examine how it supports rehabilitation of different types of prison learners.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 11th September 2015

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Colin Pitchfork parole hearing: How to assess a killer’s risk – BBC News

Posted September 7th, 2015 in DNA, mental health, murder, news, recidivists, rehabilitation, sexual offences, statistics by sally

‘Thirty years ago, brutal child killer Colin Pitchfork became the first person to be convicted using DNA profiling.’

Full story

BBC News, 6th September 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

July 2015 immigration update podcast – Free Movement

‘Welcome to the July 2015 edition of the Free Movement immigration update podcast. In this episode I start by talk about Sir Nicholas Winton then move on to discuss the huge delays in appeal hearing listings and some other tribunal news, cover some immigration rule issues including a brief overview of Statement of Changes HC 297 and then move onto a number of cases, including a review of Article 8 case law and some of the more interesting recent offerings from the tribunal. The material is drawn mainly from the July blog posts on Free Movement.’

Full story

Free Movement, 7th September 2015

Source: www.freemovement.org.uk

Judge upholds anonymity of 14-year-old convicted of stabbing teacher – The Guardian

‘A judge has refused to allow the media to name a 14-year-old boy who admitted stabbing his teacher, saying the teenager’s welfare had to come before public interest in his crime.’

Full story

The Guardian, 10th August 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Mothers Confined (part 3) | Lead by example: transforming rehabilitation – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted August 6th, 2015 in news, rehabilitation, Scotland, supervision orders, women by sally

‘Transforming Reahabilitation (TR) has been offered as a way in which women in the Criminal Justice System (CJS) “will have increased access to support services”. Prior to the many women who were incarcerated pre-TR and would be released from prison without supervision, will now – regardless of whether they have served one day or 12 months – be required to have some form of supervision. Previously, all people leaving custody serving less than 12 months were released without supervision.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 6th August 2015

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

The treasure in the heart of man – making prisons work – Ministry of Justice

Posted July 17th, 2015 in education, prisons, recidivists, rehabilitation, speeches by tracey

‘Speech given at Prisoners Learning Alliance by Michael Gove.’

Full speech

Ministry of Justice, 17th July 2015

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Prison education must be ‘overhauled’, Michael Gove says – BBC News

Posted July 17th, 2015 in education, news, prisons, recidivists, rehabilitation by tracey

‘Education in prisons must be overhauled in order to tackle a “persistent failure to reduce re-offending”, the justice secretary is to say.’

Full story

BBC News, 17th July 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prisoner book restrictions scrapped by Michael Gove – BBC News

Posted July 13th, 2015 in codes of practice, libraries, news, prisons, rehabilitation, statistics by tracey

‘Rules restricting the number of books a prisoner can have have been overturned by Justice Secretary Michael Gove.’

Full story

BBC News, 12th June 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal aid restrictions delaying prisoners’ rehabilitation, court told – The Guardian

Posted July 8th, 2015 in legal aid, news, parole, prisons, rehabilitation by sally

‘Thousands of prisoners are being prevented from starting rehabilitation because they are denied legal aid for parole board hearings, the court of appeal has been told.’

Full story

The Guardian, 7th July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prison staff shortages contribute to suicides, report says – BBC News

‘Understaffing in prisons in England and Wales could be a factor in suicides among inmates, a review has concluded.’

Full story

BBC News, 1st July 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk