Archive for the ‘Prisons’ Category

28 days

Professor Ken Pease astutely points out in a report published today for a right wing think tank that offenders are prevented from committing crimes against the general public while in prison (they can of course beat, scald, rape and attack staff and other inmates but let’s leave that aside.) But he suggests that keeping prisoners [...]

August 28, 2010  Tags:   Posted in: Government policy, Headline grabbing, Overcrowding, Prisons, Sentencing, Uncategorized, Victims  One Comment

Who are the villains and some other questions

Sir Paul Stephenson, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, yesterday waded into an issue that up until now has found relative political consensus – the fact that England and Wales require fewer people in prison.
Kenneth Clarke’s recent statement that short sentences were ineffective was largely endorsed by the Labour Party leadership candidates at a recent Howard League [...]

August 11, 2010  Tags: ,   Posted in: Prisons  One Comment

Real work in prison

We had a very interesting meeting with the new minister for prisons, Crispin Blunt, and subsequently sent him a briefing on work in prisons. Our conversation ranged broadly across penal policy and I am optimistic that Mr Blunt could turn out to be one of the most progressive and effective prisons minister I have [...]

July 16, 2010  Tags: ,   Posted in: Government policy, Prisons, Uncategorized  2 Comments

Viva la rehabilitation revolution?

There has been a lot of talk in the criminal justice sector about a ‘rehabilitation revolution’.  This is the coalition government’s catchy phrase for its forthcoming justice reforms and many professionals are puzzling out what exactly a rehabilitation revolution might look like.  The coalition’s programme of government says:
We will [...]

June 22, 2010  Tags: ,   Posted in: Government policy, Prisons, Rehabilitation, Sentencing  No Comments

Report on Bristol prison

The chief inspector’s report published today (15 June) on Bristol prison – as with all local prisons – is really depressing. Bristol opened in 1883 and holds 605 men, despite only having places for 428. Young men, some still teenagers, are forced to share cells with older men and staff have no special training for [...]

June 15, 2010  Tags: ,   Posted in: Prisons  No Comments

Ken Clarke asks the question

I don’t often read the Daily Mail and cheer, but today the report that Kenneth Clarke is planning to cut the prison budget by slashing jail sentences was the best news I have heard in a long time. Also welcome was his comment that public fears over crime were overblown, although I am not sure [...]

June 14, 2010  Tags: ,   Posted in: Government policy, Prisons, Sentencing  One Comment

Former employee of secure training centre charged with violence towards teenage boy

A former member of staff at a child jail has been given a 40-week suspended prison sentence after he admitted to dragging a teenage boy across the floor.
Neil Hanna, aged 27, was employed as a team leader at Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre, near Daventry, in September 2008 when he was sent outside to bring a [...]

May 5, 2010   Posted in: Children and young people, Inside prisons, Prison officers, Prisons, Sentencing  One Comment

A few random comments before Easter

I am off to visit family in Norfolk for Easter but thought I would post a few random comments before I leave.
Driving home a couple of days ago I was indulging in my usual irritating habit of cruising radio stations when I was captivated by a woman journalist talking on Absolute radio.  Normally I flick [...]

April 1, 2010  Tags: , ,   Posted in: Government policy, Prisons, anti-social behaviour  One Comment

Stupid cuts, smart cuts

The ministry of justice has announced that it will deliver £343 million cuts, although the ministry is calling it savings following the budget announcement that the deficit will be halved over four years.  The statement says that the aim is to protect front line priorities.  There is a huge contradiction here, as prison budgets have [...]

March 30, 2010  Tags: , , , ,   Posted in: Prisons, Public Services  2 Comments

Victory in the high court

Today we have won a significant victory in the high court that will have implications for any prisoner who appeals against an adjudication.  The case concerned our client, a young adult who has complex learning difficulties.  He was punished by the prison, using its own internal disciplinary processes for minor misbehaviour.  The punishment was loss [...]

March 29, 2010  Tags: ,   Posted in: Children and young people, Prisons  No Comments