Young offenders confined to cells in prison officers’ protest – The Guardian

‘Staff at a young offenders institute are refusing to let 300 prisoners out of their cells following a sharp rise in violence at the facility.’

Full story

The Guardian, 17th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Youth jails should be replaced by secure schools, finds review – The Guardian

Posted February 9th, 2016 in detention, education, news, reports, secure training centres, young offenders by sally

‘The notorious Medway youth jail and other privately run secure training centres and state-run young offender institutions should be replaced by a new network of small “secure schools”, according to the findings of an official review set up by the justice secretary, Michael Gove.’

Full story

The Guardian, 9th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Update to Sexual offences definitive guideline – Sentencing Council

Posted February 8th, 2016 in codes of practice, news, sentencing, sexual offences, young offenders by tracey

‘The sentencing guideline on the sentencing of sexual offences has been updated to take account of legislative changes to sections 48, 49, and 50 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. The changes relate to a change in terminology and now use the term “sexual exploitation of a child” to replace references to “child prostitution” and “child pornography”. The changes are on pages 89 to 94 of the guideline.’

Full guideline

Sentencing Council, 5th February 2016

Source: http://sentencingcouncil.judiciary.gov.uk

Surge in prison disciplinary hearings ‘feeding vicious cycle’ – The Guardian

Posted December 14th, 2015 in disciplinary procedures, news, prisons, statistics, young offenders by sally

‘The number of punishment hearings held inside prisons has risen by 24% in the past year with almost 160,000 extra days – or 438 years – of imprisonment imposed on inmates, according to a report.’

Full story

The Guardian, 14th November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

More offenders being punished for carrying knives, latest figures show – The Guardian

Posted December 10th, 2015 in news, offensive weapons, prosecutions, statistics, young offenders by sally

‘The number of offenders punished for carrying a knife has risen by 7% in the last year as the police and courts take a tougher approach, especially to teenage offenders, new figures show.’

Full story

The Guardian, 10th December 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Can young adult offenders be diverted into work? – BBC News

Posted December 10th, 2015 in employment, news, rehabilitation, young offenders by sally

‘Some reform groups believe the justice system should treat young adult offenders differently. Could a programme in south London lead the way in terms of their rehabilitation?’

Full story

BBC News, 10th December 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Poor quality advocacy is endangering youth justice – Legal Voice

Posted November 24th, 2015 in advocacy, legal representation, news, reports, young offenders, youth courts by sally

‘Access to justice for young and vulnerable offenders is being endangered by variable advocacy standards amongst lawyers acting in youth court proceedings, a new report claims.’

Full story

Legal Voice, 20th November 2015

Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk

Girl becomes first Briton convicted of trying to join fight against Islamic State in Syria – The Guardian

Posted November 23rd, 2015 in Islam, news, sentencing, terrorism, young offenders by sally

‘A British teenager who made a graveside pledge to devote herself to the PKK cause has been convicted of intending to join the proscribed Kurdish terrorist organisation to fight Islamic State.’

Full story

The Guardian, 20th November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Major new report highlights mixed advocacy standards in youth court proceedings – Bar Standards Board

Posted November 19th, 2015 in advocacy, courts, reports, young offenders, youth courts by tracey

‘The Youth Proceedings Advocacy Review report, published today as a result of extensive research, highlights the damaging effects that poor advocacy has on access to justice for young and often very vulnerable offenders, and their perceptions of the system in general.’

Full press release

Full report

Bar Standards Board, 19th November 2015

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Prisons inspector welcomes improved restraint systems after deaths of two children – The Guardian

‘The chief inspector of prisons in England and Wales has welcomed “significant improvements” in the handling and restraint of children in custody following the deaths of two boys in 2004.’

Full story

The Guardian, 18th November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prisoner deaths: Warning over young inmates – BBC News

Posted October 29th, 2015 in news, prisons, reports, suicide, young offenders by sally

‘Young people will “continue to die unnecessarily” in jail unless ministers act on recommendations in a report into self-inflicted deaths, its author says.’

Full story

BBC News, 29th October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Norwich Winsor Bishop jewellers scooter raiders jailed – BBC News

Posted October 6th, 2015 in conspiracy, gangs, news, sentencing, theft, young offenders by sally

‘A gang who stole watches worth more than £30,000 in a raid on a jewellers before making off on scooters have been jailed.’

Full story

BBC News, 6th October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Anzac Day terror plot: Blackburn boy sentenced to life – BBC News

Posted October 2nd, 2015 in conspiracy, news, sentencing, terrorism, young offenders by tracey

‘A 15-year-old British boy who plotted to behead police officers at an Anzac Day parade in Australia has been sentenced to life.’

Full story

BBC News, 2nd October 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Cookham Wood: chief prisons inspector finds ‘systemic problems’ – The Guardian

Posted September 22nd, 2015 in news, prisons, reports, violence, young offenders by sally

‘A high level of violence inside Cookham Wood youth jail, including 61 assaults and 92 fights within just six months, reflects systemic problems in young offenders institutions across England, prison inspectors have warned.’

Full story

The Guardian, 22nd September 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

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

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

Girl, 16, given 10-month referral order for attacking two girls in the street – The Guardian

’16-year-old who assaulted two younger girls in a video that was later posted online and seen by millions of people has been given a 10-month referral order.’

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd August 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Street skaters may find their latest moves land them in court – but they are fighting back – The Independent

‘Campaigners claim Public Space Protection Orders are ‘criminalising young people just for being young’.’
Full story

The Independent, 1st August 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK teenager sentenced over ‘biggest’ web attack – BBC News

Posted July 13th, 2015 in community service, computer crime, internet, news, sentencing, young offenders by tracey

‘A British teenager has been sentenced for his part in what was called the “biggest cyber attack in history”.’

Full story

BBC News, 10th July 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk