Archive for September, 2008

My favourite Tories

I chaired a fringe meeting at the Conservative conference with my two favourite Tories:  Cllr Les Lawrence and Edward Garnier QC MP.  The Howard League shared the meeting with TACT, the biggest charitable provider of fostercare, and Jon Fayle explained some research done for them about the complicated links between children in care and offending.
It [...]

September 30, 2008   Posted in: Campaigns  No Comments

Does Straw want out of MoJ?

I have just come back from the Labour conference in Manchester.  We had a stand with an exhibition featuring our campaign Growing up, shut up.
There were lots of interesting fringe meetings, and some gossip.  I am told that Jack Straw is very unhappy being SoS for Justice, and he does look it.  He was postively [...]

September 24, 2008   Posted in: Government policy  No Comments

Under suspicion on probation

An 18 year old young woman had recently been released from custody after serving several years for robbery offences committed as a child.  She was released on licence had settled well in a new area.  She was living with her family and about to start college.
The police in the local area were investigating a knife-point [...]

September 22, 2008   Posted in: Rehabilitation  No Comments

John Humphries was childish and aggressive

I had to retune to Radio 1 half way through the interview about mental health patients on the Today programme this morning. I would have caused an accident on the Holloway Road. John Humphries was childish and aggressive, the whole premise of the piece was childish and aggressive.
The majority of people in mental hospitals are [...]

September 9, 2008   Posted in: Government policy  No Comments

G4S profits are repugnant

I notice that G4S has made a profit of £174 million, on increased sales of 26%.
I wonder how much of that was made from locking up children? Profitable business that.
Oh, and that was only in the first half of the year.
Repugnant.

September 3, 2008   Posted in: Government policy  No Comments

Charities shouldn’t run prisons

I was shocked to hear about the bids to run prisons by Nacro and other charities.  How naive are they?  They won’t be able to stop their
prisons being overcrowded just like all the others, and what will happen when their staff have to cut down the first young man who hangs himself.  The private sector [...]

September 2, 2008   Posted in: Government policy, Howard League  3 Comments