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

Notes from the NOMS conference

I spent two days at the NOMS conference, attended by around 300 prison governors, heads of probation, and this year also some people from the private sector. I have made some random notes of stuff I think might be of interest from speeches and workshops.
Michael Spurr is taking over as the Chief Executive of NOMS, [...]

March 22, 2010  Tags:   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Imprisoning charities

Yesterday morning I had a fascinating meeting with the Charity Commission about whether charities should manage prisons.  I went with Kevin Curley and others from NAVCA and met with Suzi Leather and her team.  We sought the meeting because we are concerned that two charities, Turning Point and Catch 22, have joined with Serco to [...]

February 3, 2010  Tags: , ,   Posted in: Government policy, Prisons, Public Services, Rehabilitation, Uncategorized  6 Comments

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  2 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

Bits of news and gossip

There has been so much happening and I have been out rather a lot so I have bits of news and gossip.
I spoke to the AGM of the probation officers’ union, Napo, last Thursday along with the minister, Maria Eagle and Mark Serwotka from the PCS union. Harry Fletcher, the assistant general secretary of Napo [...]

October 5, 2009  Tags: ,   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments