‘A children’s prison has been criticised by inspectors after they found that new arrivals as young as 15 were being locked in solitary confinement in their rooms for a fortnight and allowed out for just 30 minutes a day because of concerns about coronavirus.’
The Independent, 9th December 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The Supreme Court has unanimously dismissed this appeal concerning the role of the Court in relation to the principles governing the award of costs in lower courts.’
UKSC Blog, 4th December 2020
Source: ukscblog.com
‘The family of a prisoner who killed himself after being handed a controversial “never-ending” sentence has received damages from the government in an out-of-court settlement, the Guardian has learned.’
The Guardian, 30th November 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The Supreme Court has on 13 November 2020 handed down the judgment in this case concerning the appropriate standard of proof for conclusions at inquests.’
Park Square Barristers, 13th November 2020
Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk
‘A psychopathic prisoner who murdered paedophile Richard Huckle in an act of “poetic justice” has been sentenced to a minimum of 34 years in jail.’
BBC, 24th November 2020
Source: www.bbc.com
‘Killers who withhold information on their victims could spend longer behind bars.’
Ministry of Justice, 4th November 2020
Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice
‘Murderer Jeremy Bamber has lost his attempt to bring legal action over his maximum security prisoner status.’
BBC News, 30th October 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘A prisoner who was allegedly sexually assaulted behind bars by another inmate has challenged the Ministry of Justice over its policy on placing transgender women in women’s prisons.’
The Guardian, 28th October 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Locking up prisoners in what amounts to solitary confinement under Covid restrictions risks causing “irreparable damage” to their mental health and does nothing to reduce reoffending, the chief inspector of prisons in England and Wales has said.’
The Guardian, 20th October 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A man whose grandfather has just been released from prison – after killing his wife 35 years ago – has told the BBC the parole process in England and Wales is “secretive” and “coy”.’
BBC News, 20th October 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Prisoners being locked in their cells for 23 hours a day under Covid restrictions is dangerous, the chief inspector of prisons has warned.’
BBC News, 20th October 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘Two prisoners have been found guilty of trying to kill a prison officer in a terror attack inside a maximum-security jail.’
The Independent, 7th October 2020
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘”Once you’re caught in the grip of the system you are doomed,” says the founder of a radically different approach to jailing young offenders. Steve Chalke aims to stop a revolving door of criminality that at present sees 69% of young prisoners reoffending within a year of release.’
BBC News, 6th Ocotber 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The number of deaths from natural causes on the prison estate is “unacceptably high”, a watchdog has warned, urging ministers to do more to allow inmates to be allowed out to die.’
The Guardian, 30th September 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘The level of educational achievement by incarcerated offenders in the UK is far lower than the average. In addition, 40-50% of prisoners assessed in John Rack’s research for the Dyslexia Institute (2005) were at or below levels of literacy and numeracy expected of an 11-year old. In 2007, the Prison Reform Trust reported that prison populations who showed serious deficits in literacy and numeracy reached up to 60% with a 30% dyslexia rate. This literacy problem extends to oral speech. People in the Criminal Justice System are ten times more likely to have a Speech and Communication Difficulty than members of the public. Research shows that 60% of young male offenders have a communication deficit as opposed to 3-10% of the general population (Available evidence for young female and adult offenders shows similarly high levels of speech-difficulties.) In the UK, low socio-economic status (SES), speech difficulty and school exclusions are co-morbid factors for offending. Having a speech difficulty also makes it near impossible for anyone with significant communication difficulties to navigate a legal system built upon excessive jargon without help. The criminal justice system must make structural interventions to protect the rights of persons with Speech and Communication Difficulty.’
Oxford Human Rights Hub, 17th September 2020
Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk
‘Social distancing measures in youth prisons have had “disturbing consequences”, with children denied face-to-face interaction with families and friends, as well as visits from social workers, youth offending staff or lawyers, a report has found.’
The Guardian, 23rd September 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A record number of terrorists are being held in British prisons, new figures show amid warnings over radicalisation inside “chaotic” jails. Statistics released by the Home Office on Thursday indicate there were 243 people in custody for terror-related offences, up 24 on the previous year.’
The Independent, 17th September 2020
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘The scale of failure in the prison system in England and Wales is “staggering”, with only 206 out of 10,000 promised new prison spaces delivered by the government, parliament’s spending watchdog has said.’
The Guardian, 11th September 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A mother who fears her 19-month-old child will forget their father if prison visits do not resume soon has begun preliminary legal action against the Ministry of Justice.’
The Guardian, 31st August 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
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