Archive for August, 2009

Why the rule of law is absolutely critical

The US department of justice wants investigate the abuse of prisoners by American military and the CIA. It is right that public has a right to know if prisoners have been abused or tortured. But it does illustrate why the rule of law is absolutely critical and the application of a set of values must [...]

August 24, 2009  Tags: ,   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Who gets prosecuted for fraud

The Chelsea Building Society has lost £41 million as a result of fraud committed by estate agents and surveyors.  Where are the government posters and television adverts alerting people to this massive crime wave?  Where are the local authority leaflets with the faces of the perpetrators?  Who is leading the campaign to put an end [...]

August 21, 2009  Tags:   Posted in: Government policy, Sentencing  No Comments

Compassionate release from prison

So it seems that Mr Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi will be granted compassionate release from prison to allow him to die in his own country near to his family.  The decision, made by Kenny MacAskill, the Scottish Justice Secretary, must have seemed like the judgement of Solomon. 
Following hard on the release of Ronnie Biggs it again [...]

August 20, 2009  Tags: ,   Posted in: Sentencing, Uncategorized  3 Comments

Kim Dae-jung

I was sad to see that Kim Dae-jung has died. I like to think I played a very small part in getting him released from prison back in the 1980s. He was a leading figure in the South Korean opposition, and following the brutal suppression by the military government of the popular and student uprising [...]

August 19, 2009   Posted in: International  No Comments

Some interesting stories around today

The Magistrates’ Association is complaining about the increased police powers to issue on the spot fines for motoring offences. Apparently the concern is that police might issue the fines inappropriately and that fines do pressure people to concede guilt even if that is not the case. The magistrates allege that police would misuse the power. [...]

August 18, 2009  Tags: , , ,   Posted in: Children and young people, Police, Prisons, Sentencing  2 Comments

Should charities run prisons?

The debate about whether charities should run prisons is getting quite lively.  We are about to write to the Charity Commission asking them to investigate.  I have written an article for The Times today setting out our position.

August 14, 2009  Tags: , ,   Posted in: Prisons, Public Services  2 Comments

Increase in number of children in prison

Well done Barnardo’s for drawing attention to the scandalous increase in the number of children being sent to penal custody.  If anything the charity has been too cautious in its recommendations.  It was only a few years ago that there was just a handful of children aged between 12 and 14 in custody at any [...]

August 13, 2009  Tags: , , ,   Posted in: Children and young people, Howard League, Prisons, Sentencing  2 Comments

To make a better world

Today’s report in the Telegraph that more than a million children have their details stored on the police DNA database is horrifying.  The government is flouting international law for adults by failing to implement the recent European court decision that a blanket policy of holding DNA information indefinitely is illegal; but this is even more [...]

August 12, 2009  Tags: ,   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Naming and shaming, postal strikes and pensions

So poor little Baby Peter’s mother and her partner have their photographs splashed across every media outlet.  The judge who allowed them to be identified said this would somehow increase confidence in the criminal justice system, although I challenge that.  I am at a loss to understand how public prurience serves the cause of justice.  [...]

August 11, 2009  Tags: , ,   Posted in: Children and young people, Headline grabbing  No Comments

Ronnie Biggs’ release

So Ronnie Biggs has apparently been released from prison. Of course he hasn’t been in prison for some weeks because he is dying and has been in hospital. He has been fixed up to tubes, unable to speak or move about, with six prison officers on shifts sitting by his bedside in case. This gross [...]

August 7, 2009  Tags: ,   Posted in: Government policy, Prisons, Sentencing, Uncategorized  One Comment