Taking the Profit out of Killing Animals – Is Asset Recovery the Answer to Poaching? – Drystone Chambers

‘It is clear that some iconic species of animals are on the brink of extinction. This is not just a crisis for those countries in which those species live, but a global issue. It will ultimately take a collaborative world-wide response to combat the problem.’

Full Story

Drystone Chambers, 6th November 2017

Source: drystone.com

Drug-driving cases dropped over forensics – BBC News

‘Around 50 drug-driving prosecutions have been dropped because original test results may have been “manipulated”.’

Full Story

BBC News, 21st November 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Disastrous’ offender tagging scheme hit by fresh delays – The Guardian

Posted November 14th, 2017 in criminal justice, delay, news, select committees by sally

‘Fresh delays have hit the government’s scandal-hit programme for the electronic tagging of offenders, which mean the next-generation satellite tracking tags will not come into use until early 2019, MPs have been told.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 13th November 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Non-custodial sentencing falls sharply in England and Wales – The Guardian

‘Use of non-custodial sentences in England and Wales has fallen sharply but risen significantly in Scotland, according to a report highlighting their effectiveness in preventing re-offending. The comparative study by the Centre for Justice Innovation reveals that over the past decade there has been a 24% decrease in the number of community sentences imposed in England and Wales compared with an 18% increase in Scotland.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 3rd November 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Too many children in criminal court, says senior judge – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 2nd, 2017 in children, crime, criminal justice, judges, news, speeches, young offenders, young persons by sally

‘Too many children are being criminalised by the courts, the most senior family judge in England and Wales has warned. Sir James Munby, president of the family division of the High Court, said that the Crown Prosecution Service should look at changing its charging policy for children so that fewer of them end up in the criminal courts.’

Full speech

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 1st November 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Deaths in custody: police urged to stop holding mentally ill in cells – The Guardian

Posted October 30th, 2017 in complaints, criminal justice, death in custody, detention, mental health, news, police by sally

‘Far-reaching reforms to the police, justice system and health service in England and Wales are needed to reduce the risk of people dying in custody, a long-delayed report has concluded.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 30th October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

New terror laws ‘would criminalise thought’, watchdog warns – BBC News

Posted October 30th, 2017 in criminal justice, human rights, internet, legislation, news, sentencing, terrorism by sally

‘Ministers should not “criminalise thought” with plans to prosecute people who view extremist content online, the UK’s terror watchdog has said.’

Full Story

BBC News, 25th October 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Stop and search eight times more likely to target black people – The Guardian

‘The racial gap in the use of stop and search by police has grown in the past year, leaving black people eight times more likely to be targeted by officers than white people.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 26th October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Justice in jeopardy: government defies backlash to confirm ‘reckless’ legal aid cuts – Law Society Gazette

‘The government is to press ahead with reform of legal aid fees paid to solicitors in criminal cases – despite 97% of submissions to a consultation vehemently opposing the plans. Representative bodies have this afternoon condemned the decision as ‘reckless’, claiming it places justice in jeopardy.’

Full Story

Law Society Gazette, 24th October 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Videolinks in court trials undermine justice system, says report – The Guardian

Posted October 23rd, 2017 in courts, criminal justice, internet, news, reports, video recordings by sally

‘Video-conferencing threatens defendants’ rights and undermines trust in the justice system, according to a report on the government’s drive towards so-called “trial by Skype”.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 23rd October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Junior barristers “bearing the brunt” of pressure in criminal courts – Legal Futures

Posted October 17th, 2017 in barristers, case management, courts, criminal justice, diversity, news by sally

‘ “Concerned words” about diversity and social mobility need to be turned into action through changes to the way the criminal courts operate if junior barristers are to be retained, the Criminal Bar Association has warned.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 17th October 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Killer drivers to receive life sentences in law change – BBC News

‘Drivers who kill someone in the most serious cases of dangerous and careless driving will now face life sentences.’

Full Story

BBC News, 15th October 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Victims need legally enforceable rights, commissioner says – The Guardian

Posted October 11th, 2017 in criminal justice, human rights, news, victims by sally

‘The victims commissioner, Helen Newlove, has urged the government to guarantee victims legally enforceable rights within the criminal justice system.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 11th October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Flasher conviction quashed because Facebook village gossip undermined fair trial – Daily Telegraph

‘A loner accused of chasing two women through a village while exposing himself has had his conviction quashed because residents had shared his image and gossiped about him on Facebook.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 28th September 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

DNA in the dock: how flawed techniques send innocent people to prison – The Guardian

Posted October 2nd, 2017 in criminal justice, DNA, evidence, forensic science, news by sally

‘Many juries believe crime-scene DNA evidence is watertight – but this is far from the case. As forensic technology gets ever more sophisticated, experts are only just realising how difficult interpreting the evidence can be.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 2nd October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

We need openness, not the “team view”, senior judges tell experts – Litigation Futures

Posted September 26th, 2017 in criminal justice, expert witnesses, inquests, news by sally

‘Senior judges have called on expert witnesses to show greater openness and avoid “hiding behind the team view”.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 25th September 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Prison ‘reboot’ may free up 7,000 prison places, says thinktank – The Guardian

Posted September 14th, 2017 in criminal justice, news, prisons, probation, rehabilitation, reports by sally

‘A “reboot” of the government’s “rehabilitation revolution”, including the early release of well-behaved prisoners, could free up more than 7,000 prison places, according to the latest report from a centre-right thinktank.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 14th September 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Bar Council responds to Lammy Review – The Bar Council

Posted September 11th, 2017 in criminal justice, diversity, judiciary, Ministry of Justice, press releases, reports by sally

‘Robin Allen QC, Chair of the Bar Council’s Equality and Diversity and Social Mobility Committee, said today’s publication of the Lammy Review was a major contribution to the important and urgent task of securing a fair and equal criminal justice system.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 8th September 2017

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Lammy review: final report – Official Publications

Posted September 8th, 2017 in bias, criminal justice, minorities, prosecutions, race discrimination, reports by sally

‘An independent review into the treatment of, and outcomes for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic individuals in the criminal justice system.’

Full report

Official Publications, 8th September 2017

Source: www.gov.uk/government/publications

DPP – John Harris Memorial Lecture – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted September 8th, 2017 in criminal justice, Crown Prosecution Service, fraud, mental health, police, speeches by sally

‘Speech from Alison Saunders, DPP, on developments in technology and society, and addressing terrorism, fraud and mental health issues.’

Full speech

Crown Prosecution Service, 5th September 2017

Source: www.cps.gov.uk