A third of prisons hold at least one transgender inmate, MoJ says – The Guardian

Posted November 30th, 2018 in news, prisons, statistics, transgender persons by sally

‘More than a third of prisons in England and Wales hold at least one transgender inmate, official statistics have revealed.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 30th November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Jails are failing to get a grip on violence and drugs, says chief inspector – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 22nd, 2018 in drug abuse, news, prisons, reports, self-harm, suicide, violence by tracey

‘Britain’s jails are failing to get a grip on record levels of violence, suicides, self-harm and drug-taking which are all getting worse, the chief inspector of prisons warned yesterday.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd November 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Woman who died in prison was left alone in cell after being found with ligatures around her neck, inquest finds – The Independent

‘“Deeply inadequate” prison procedures contributed to the death of a young woman who was left alone in her cell after being found with ligatures around her neck, an inquest has found.’

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The Independent, 20th November 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Rise in prison suicides prompts calls to tackle overcrowding – The Guardian

Posted November 20th, 2018 in mental health, news, prisons, suicide by sally

‘The number of suicides among prisoners this year has already exceeded 2017’s death toll, prompting penal reform campaigners to renew calls for urgent action to tackle overcrowding.’

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The Guardian, 19th November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Charles Bronson cleared of prison governor attack – The Independent

Posted November 16th, 2018 in attempts, grievous bodily harm, news, prison officers, prisons by tracey

‘Notorious inmate Charles Bronson has been cleared of trying to cause grievous bodily harm a senior prison officer.’

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The Independent, 15th November 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

HMP Birmingham: ‘Signs of improvement’ at ‘worst’ prison – BBC News

Posted November 12th, 2018 in contracting out, news, prisons, reports, violence, violent offenders by tracey

‘A troubled prison that was taken over by the government is showing early signs of improvement, inspectors say.’

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BBC News, 12th November 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prisons are new frontline in fighting crime, says Gauke – The Guardian

Posted November 2nd, 2018 in crime, criminal justice, news, police, prisons by sally

‘Jails have emerged as a new frontline in fighting crime because advances in technology mean prison walls alone are no longer effective in stopping criminals, the justice secretary has told police chiefs.’

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The Guardian, 1st November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Inspectors warn of worsening conditions for mentally ill inmates – The Guardian

Posted November 1st, 2018 in delay, hospitals, mental health, news, prisons by sally

‘Mentally ill prisoners in the largest high-security jail in the UK face “totally unacceptable” delays in being transferred to a secure hospital, leading to a further deterioration in their conditions, inspectors have said.’

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The Guardian, 1st November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Poor healthcare in jails is killing inmates, says NHS watchdog – The Guardian

‘Almost half of England’s jails are providing inadequate medical care to inmates, whose health is being damaged by widespread failings, the NHS watchdog has told MPs in a scathing briefing leaked to the Observer.’

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The Guardian, 27th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Seven jailed over plot to fly drugs into UK prisons with drones – The Guardian

Posted October 29th, 2018 in aircraft, conspiracy, drug trafficking, news, prisons, sentencing by sally

‘Seven members of a gang that used drones to airlift £500,000 worth of drugs into prisons have been given jail terms ranging from three to 10 years.’

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The Guardian, 26th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Self-harm and violent attacks in prisons hit record high as incidents rise by 20% in a year, figures show – The Independent

Posted October 26th, 2018 in news, prisons, self-harm, statistics, violence by tracey

‘Incidents of self-harm in jails across England and Wales increased to 49,565 in the year to June 2018, with the number of self-harming individuals up by 10 per cent, despite a reduction in the overall prison population.’

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The Independent, 25th October 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Gender Recognition Act: ‘Why we want identity rules changed’ – BBC News

‘If you want to legally change your gender in the UK, first a doctor has to diagnose you with a medical condition.’

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BBC News, 17th October 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Out of control’: prison watchdog warns of synthetic drug crisis – The Guardian

Posted October 12th, 2018 in death in custody, drug abuse, news, prisons by sally

‘An epidemic of synthetic drugs in prisons is “completely out of control” and the “new normal”, a prison deaths watchdog has warned, as signs emerge that the impact is spreading to immigration removal centres and bail hostels.’

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The Guardian, 11th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Karen White: how ‘manipulative’ transgender inmate attacked again – The Guardian

Posted October 12th, 2018 in news, prisons, sexual offences, transgender persons by sally

‘Transgender politics – like any politics – can be divisive. Yet in the case of Karen White, who is legally still a man but was put in a female-only prison, both sides of the transgender rights debate are united in the belief mistakes were made.’

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The Guardian, 11th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Exeter prison condemned by inspectors for violence and drug use – The Guardian

Posted October 9th, 2018 in criminal justice, drug abuse, news, prisons, violence by tracey

‘The crisis-struck HMP Exeter prison, one of only four to have been subjected to special emergency action, is “very violent” and has overt drug use that is not regarded as exceptional by staff, according to inspectors.’

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The Guardian, 9th October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Specialist financial crime unit to crack down on prison gangs – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 4th, 2018 in crime, money laundering, press releases, prisons by tracey

‘A new specialist unit will identify and freeze bank accounts linked to organised crime behind bars, Justice Secretary David Gauke announced today.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 2nd October 2018

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Remembering Louis Blom-Cooper, A Human Rights Champion – Rights Info

‘Lawyer and human rights champion Sir Louis Blom-Cooper passed away in London, aged 92, on September 19, 2018. Here are some of the ways in which Blom-Cooper blazed a trail for human rights.’

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Rights Info, 2nd October 2018

Source: rightsinfo.org

Why doesn’t prison work for women? – BBC News

Posted October 1st, 2018 in news, prisons, recidivists, women by sally

‘Women make up just under 5% of the prison population in England and Wales, yet they are more likely than men to reoffend. Why doesn’t prison work for women and what is being done to improve outcomes for them?’

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BBC News, 29 September 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

HMP Bedford inmates ‘effectively control’ jail – BBC News

Posted September 14th, 2018 in health & safety, news, prisons, violence by tracey

‘Inmates have effectively taken control at a violent and vermin-infested prison, a watchdog has warned.’

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BBC News, 13th September 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hate preacher Anjem Choudary, to be freed in weeks, is ‘still a threat’ – The Guardian

Posted September 12th, 2018 in incitement, Islam, news, prisons, release on licence, terrorism by tracey

‘The Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary remains a dangerous threat ahead of his imminent release from jail, the prisons minister has warned, as plans to train an “elite corps” of Muslim chaplains to de-radicalise extremist inmates were unveiled.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 11th September 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com