Archive for January, 2010

No fantasyland

The prisons inspectorate is publishing its inspection of a unit inside a prison that holds young girls – the Rivendell (yes, land of the elves) unit inside New Hall prison today.
Whilst the report is broadly favourable, it should be seen in the context of prisons being totally the wrong environment for young girls. The Howard [...]

January 29, 2010  Tags: ,   Posted in: Inside prisons, Prisons  No Comments

Another announcement about victims

Jack Straw has announced a new national victims’ service. It won’t be a statutory service, but a sort of unit with a paltry £8 million funding. This comes seven years after legislation was passed to set up a commissioner for victims office. This has not happened, despite being announced several times, until Sara Payne was [...]

January 27, 2010  Tags: ,   Posted in: Government policy, Victims  No Comments

First past the post and excessive use of prison

I am about to change my mind. For years I have been a supporter of first past the post voting systems, mainly because of the constituency link. But the evidence, particularly from my professional life, is pushing me toward the conclusion that that very pillar of our democratic system is contributing towards an excessive use [...]

January 26, 2010  Tags:   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

John Redwood on prison reform

I notice that John Redwood has suggested that burglars and car thieves should not be sent to prison but should pay compensation instead and that this would do more to help victims and achieve the government’s target of reducing prison costs. He makes the argument that victims are doubly victimised by having to pay the [...]

January 25, 2010  Tags: ,   Posted in: Sentencing  2 Comments

Some of today’s papers

Some of today’s papers have had a fit of over enthusiasm in attributing the prison ship story and I want to put the record straight.  Last week’s seminar in Oxford was a lively and robust discussion with students and Alan Duncan stuck to his party line – whilst using flavourful language as you would expect [...]

January 23, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  3 Comments

Crime and security bill

Two things today related to the crime and security bill currently going through Parliament.
On Monday this week clause 41 of the crime and security bill sailed through the house of commons virtually unopposed. Just over a week since the bi-partisan justice select committee had stated plainly:
“Prison is a relatively ineffective way of reducing crime for [...]

January 21, 2010  Tags: , ,   Posted in: Government policy, Police  One Comment

A new face at the top

Phil Wheatley, director general of the national offender management service (NOMS), has announced he is to retire later this year.  I wish him well in his retirement.
This offers a tremendous opportunity for change in the criminal justice system.  A new person at the top could inject some energy into a programme of reform based on [...]

January 18, 2010  Tags: , , , ,   Posted in: Government policy, Prisons, Public Services  One Comment

The naked rambler

The naked rambler, Stephen Gough, could spend the rest of his life in prison, in Scotland. Interesting that the English have decided that action should not be taken through the criminal justice system, but the Scots are pursuing him relentlessly. After spending a year in Perth prison, the police were waiting for him on his [...]

January 15, 2010   Posted in: Sentencing, Uncategorized  No Comments

Myleene Klass and Richard Bradshaw, via Boots the chemist.

I have a lot of sympathy for Myleene Klass, and I must admit that if I was home alone and saw young men in my back garden I would react intemperately. She should have called the police. It is possible that they were intending to burgle her house and the police should be involved in [...]

January 13, 2010  Tags: , ,   Posted in: Children and young people, Police  4 Comments

Thanks and banks

Thank you to everyone who has written me a note, sent an email or telephoned with kind messages about the OBE. I must admit I was a little bemused; obviously it is a recognition of the work of the Howard League rather than a personal honour, but I was overwhelmed by the kindness from so [...]

January 11, 2010  Tags:   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments