Imprisoning charities

Yesterday morning I had a fascinating meeting with the Charity Commission about whether charities should manage prisons.В  I went with Kevin Curley and others from NAVCA and met with Suzi Leather and her team.В  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.В  I wish him well in his retirement.
This offers a tremendous opportunity for change in the criminal justice system.В  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

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