Launch of joint youth justice unit – Ministry of Justice
“A joint Governmental youth justice unit was launched today [13 November] by Justice Minister David Hanson MP.”
Ministry of Justice press release, 13th November 2007
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
Category: young offenders
Jail term cut for ‘feral’ killers – BBC News
“Two Cheshire teenagers who terrorised a vulnerable man before beating him to death and throwing his body in a river, have had their life sentences cut.”
BBC News, 8th November 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Judge hits out at ‘perverse’ gun society – Daily Telegraph
“A judge attacked as ‘perverse’ the way sections of modern society view guns as he jailed a mother and her teenage son over the fatal shooting of the woman’s 12-year-old daughter.”
Daily Telegraph, 1st November 2007
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Police ordered to destroy decades-old petty crime records – The Independent
“Four police forces in England and Wales have been ordered to destroy criminal records of minor offences committed by teenagers who have gone on to lead unblemished adult lives but claim they are still being punished for their past misdemeanours.”
The Independent, 1st November 2007
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Batons age limit may be lowered – The Guardian
“Staff at young offenders institutions could be allowed to use batons on children as young as 15 after the Ministry of Justice said it would review current guidelines.”
The Guardian, 22nd October 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Children’s tsar attacks youth justice policy – The Guardian
“The children’s tsar today attacked the government’s youth justice policy, which he warned is enraging and alienating young people.”
The Guardian, 15th October 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
£4,000 court costs for child’s sausage roll theft – Daily Telegraph
“A police force hauled a child through the courts at a cost of £4,000 for stealing half a sausage roll it has emerged.”
Daily Telegraph, 10th October 2007
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Regina (JL) (a Youth) v Secretary of State for the Home Department – Times Law Reports
State’s duty to investigate
Regina (JL) (a Youth) v. Secretary of State for the Home Department
Court of Appeal
“Where there was a near death or death in custody the state was obliged to investigate the facts and explain. It was not for the victim or family to establish some arguable case before that investigation took place.”
The Times, 2nd October 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
Inmates ‘forcibly strip-searched’ – BBC News
“Young offenders are being forcibly strip searched according to a report by prison inspectors.”
BBC News, 27th September 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Reclassification of cannabis ‘fuels youth crime wave’ – The Independent
“Cannabis use among Britain’s young offenders is ‘out of control’, up by 75 per cent in some areas and fuelling a crime epidemic, with youngsters stealing to fund their addictions, according to two studies.”
The Independent, 17th September 2007
Source: www.independent.co.uk
New “youth juries” to punish yobs – BBC News
“Teenage vandals, bullies and binge drinkers are to have punishments decided by other youngsters in a pilot project to be launched later this year.”
BBC News, 12 September 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Report into death of boy, 14, calls for reform of youth custody – The Guardian
“A report into Britain’s youngest death in custody will today condemn the youth justice system for treating 14-year-old Adam Rickwood more as a tearaway deserving to be locked up rather than a vulnerable child in need of care.”
The Guardian, 3rd September 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Three teenagers guilty of murder – BBC News
“Three teenagers have been convicted of murder and one of manslaughter over the death of 19-year-old Liam Smith who was shot outside Altcourse prison.”
BBC News, 24th August 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Boy is accused of sausage assault – BBC News
“A 12-year-old boy was charged with assault and taken before the courts – for throwing a cocktail sausage.”
BBC News, 22nd August 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Post-jail help ‘may save £80m’ – BBC News
“About £80m a year could be saved by providing better support for young offenders leaving jail, a report says.”
BBC News, 15th August 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
R (JL (by the Official Solicitor as litigation friend)) v. Secretary of State for the Home Department – WLR Daily
“Where there had been a death or near death in custody the state was obliged to conduct an enhanced investigation commenced by a person independent of those implicated in the facts. If the investigator found that the state or its agents potentially bore responsibility and that it was not plain that they could bear no responsibility it would be necessary to hold a further inquiry in the nature of a public hearing in which the next of kin or injured person could play a part.”
WLR Daily, 24th July 2007
Source: www.lawreports.co.uk
Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.
Youth crime board is failing to meet targets, says report – The Guardian
“The Youth Justice Board, set up seven years ago by Labour to cut juvenile crime, has failed to hit any of its key performance targets in the past 12 months, according to its annual report.”
The Guardian, 2nd August 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Three jailed for forcing man to fall 100ft to his death – The Guardian
“A 17-year-old girl and her boyfriend were jailed yesterday for torturing a friend with severe learning difficulties before forcing him to fall to his death from a 100ft railway viaduct.”
The Guardian, 31st July 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Kiyan’s killer given life sentence – The Guardian
“A teenager has been sentenced to at least 13 years in prison for the murder of the promising young footballer Kiyan Prince, who was stabbed to death outside his school gates.”
The Guardian, 26th July 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Youth crime targets missed – Daily Telegraph
“Increases in arrests of young people for petty crimes and anti-social behaviour have undermined Government efforts to reduce the number of youths entering the criminal justice system, according to a report.”
Daily Telegraph, 25th July 2007
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
