‘The prison system is in crisis, with riots, drug abuse and record levels of suicide. But what is life really like for the 85,000 prisoners in our jails? Jessica Berens was writer-in-residence at HMP Dartmoor for three years and has the inside story.’
Daily Telegraph, 26th January 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘A record number of people killed themselves in prisons in England and Wales in 2016, figures show.’
BBC News, 26th January 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The Ministry of Justice has launched an internal inquiry into the mental health backgrounds of prisoners who killed themselves, as new figures are expected to reveal that 2016 was a record high for self-inflicted deaths across prisons in England and Wales.’
The Guardian, 25th January 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘The criminal justice system “did too little to protect” a vulnerable inmate who electrocuted himself in prison, the Prisons Ombudsman has found.’
BBC News, 23rd January 2017
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The recent deaths of several transgender prisoners underline the need for jails to be more flexible and proactive in managing such inmates, a watchdog has said.’
The Guardian, 10th January 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Prisoners should be allowed to wear their own clothes in jail because transgender inmates are allowed to wear dresses and make-up, inspectors have said.’
Daily Telegraph, 5th January 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘It is no surprise that the prison authorities are closely monitoring every jail in England and Wales for signs of potential unrest after the riot at HMP Birmingham on Friday.’
The Guardian, 19th December 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘A prison inmate who wrote a series of letters from his cell threatening to kill 10 people, including prison staff and police officers, and then have sex with their corpses has been jailed for 45 years.’
the Guardian, 14th December 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Young men don’t mature psychologically until their mid-20s. Condemning so many to the toxic environment of our jails is a recipe for reoffending and suicide.’
The Guardian, 1st December 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Community service is not tough enough and needs to be a more visible punishment, Britain’s most senior judge has suggested as he says offenders view non-jail sentences as “getting off” free.’
Daily Telegraph, 30th November 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘A member of the Independent Monitoring Board at HMP Bedford raised the alarm about its perilous conditions, and wants an urgent rethink about jails.’
The Guardian, 30th November 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘A deal to move EU prisoners in England and Wales to their home countries has not worked out “well”, MPs have heard.’
BBC News, 29th November 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘More prisoners than ever before are taking their own lives, with 2016 already the worst year ever recorded for suicides in prison, according to new figures released today.’
The Independent, 27th November 2016
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Court of Appeal has increased the sentence of serving prisoner following Attorney General referral.’
Attorney General’s Office, 22nd November 2016
Source: www.gov.uk/ago
‘Fewer criminals should be jailed and tougher community punishments developed as an alternative to imprisonment, the lord chief justice has urged.’
The Guardian, 22nd November 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘This week’s walkouts by prison officers were in protest at staff shortages and escalating violence – and the data shows that the ratio of staff to offenders has indeed dropped in the last few years.’
The Guardian, 18th November 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘The UK justice secretary, Liz Truss, has come under severe pressure from her predecessor, Michael Gove, and the chief inspector of prisons to take urgent action to cut the prison population.’
The Guardian, 17th November 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘On Tuesday 8 November 2016, Halsbury’s Law Exchange (HLE) hosted a panel discussion on the urgent topic of: “Women in Prison: is the justice system fit for purpose?” In the lead up to the panel discussion, Felicity Gerry QC and Lyndon Harris co-authored a discussion paper on this vital question.’
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 10th November 2016
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
‘One in four prisons in England and Wales are holding transgender inmates, an official report has revealed.’
Daily Telegraph, 9th November 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘In 2014 a Halsbury Law Exchange panel debated “Women in prison: is the penal system fit for purpose” – the answer to which was a resounding no. Despite panellist (the then MP) Simon Hughes committing to effect change as a result of that discussion the law still hasn’t made the headway hoped for in this area.’
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 10th November 2016
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
© Inner Temple Library 2025