Category: prisons

Rise in prisoners moved to mental health hospitals – The Guardian

Posted September 14th, 2016 in criminal justice, health, mental health, news, prisons, statistics, suicide by tracey

‘More prisoners are being diagnosed with mental health problems requiring hospital treatment, official figures obtained by the Guardian show. The number of male prisoners being transferred to hospital under the 1983 Mental Health Act grew by more than 20% between 2011 and 2014 in England and Wales, said the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in response to a freedom of information request.’

Full story

The Guardian, 14th September 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Young offender institutions: What is life like for inmates? – BBC News

Posted September 13th, 2016 in news, prisons, violence, young offenders by sally

‘Levels of violence in young offender institutions have been described as unacceptably high, with inmates and staff facing the daily threat of beatings and stabbings.’

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BBC News, 12th September 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The terror of young offender institutions – BBC News

Posted September 12th, 2016 in detention, inquiries, news, prisons, young offenders by sally

‘Levels of violence in young offender institutions have been described as unacceptably high, with inmates and staff facing the daily threat of beatings and stabbings. The government is promising a thorough review of the system. But what’s life like for young people who get locked up?’

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BBC News, 12th September 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Justice Secretary Liz Truss casts doubt on prison reforms – BBC News

Posted September 8th, 2016 in bills, human rights, news, prisons by tracey

‘Justice Secretary Liz Truss has appeared to cast doubt on plans for a sweeping reform of prisons in England and Wales proposed by her predecessor, Michael Gove.’

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BBC News, 7th September 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Jail staff lacked compassion for prisoner who took his life, inquest finds – The Guardian

Posted September 5th, 2016 in inquests, news, prison officers, prisons, suicide by sally

‘An inquest jury has said a prisoner who took his own life was not shown enough compassion by staff at the jail.’

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The Guardian, 2nd September 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government sets out new measures to tackle extremism in prisons – Ministry of Justice

Posted August 25th, 2016 in freedom of expression, Islam, news, prison officers, prisons by sally

‘Extremists to be held in ‘specialist units’, a crackdown on extremist literature and tightened vetting of prison chaplains.’

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Ministry of Justice, 22nd August 2016

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

Extremist prisoners ‘may be separated’ from other inmates – BBC News

Posted August 22nd, 2016 in Islam, news, prisons, reports, select committees, terrorism by sally

‘Violent extremist prisoners could be held in separate special units inside jails under government plans to stop other inmates being radicalised.’

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BBC News, 21st August 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

New doubts over human rights law reform – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 12th, 2016 in bills, EC law, human rights, news, prisons, referendums, Scotland by sally

‘A draft British bill of rights prepared by the former justice secretary Michael Gove has been rejected by the prime minister, a newspaper reported this morning – prompting speculation that the long-promised reform could be abandoned.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 10th August 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

New powers to cut off illicit mobile phones used in prisons – The Guardian

Posted August 12th, 2016 in budgets, enforcement, news, prisons, statistics, telecommunications by sally

‘New powers to cut off illicit mobile phones used by prisoners to run criminal operations have been introduced in jails across England and Wales.’

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The Guardian, 11th August 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Yorkshire Ripper: tribunal rules Peter Sutcliffe can be sent to mainstream prison – The Guardian

Posted August 12th, 2016 in appeals, mental health, murder, news, prisons, sentencing, tribunals by sally

‘The Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe, who murdered 13 women during the 1970s, may be released from Broadmoor, the secure psychiatric hospital, and sent to a mainstream prison after a tribunal concluded his mental illness was under control.’

Full story

The Guardian, 12th August 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Illegal mobile phones in prisons to be cut off – Home Office

Posted August 11th, 2016 in press releases, prisons, telecommunications by tracey

‘Inmates running criminal operations from behind bars will be targeted with new powers to cut off mobile phones being used illegally in prisons.’

Full press release

Home Office, 11th August 2016

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

London woman dies in possibly the first drone-related accidental death – The Independent

Posted August 10th, 2016 in accidents, aircraft, armed forces, news, police, prisons, road traffic, terrorism by tracey

‘A young woman died in a car crash Tuesday after her vehicle was followed by police investigating reports of a drone being flown near Wandsworth Prison in London. The incident may be the first fatality linked to the non-military use of drones.’

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The Independent, 9th August 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Women’s prison suicide rate soars as charity warns of ‘horrifying’ self-harm – The Independent

Posted July 29th, 2016 in news, prisons, self-harm, statistics, suicide, women by tracey

‘The number of women killing themselves in prison has “risen alarmingly”, new government figures have revealed – prompting warnings from top charity leaders over unsafe jail conditions. Statistics published by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) show the total number of deaths classed as “self-inflicted” rose by 28 per cent over the past 12 months compared with the previous year.’

Full story

The Independent, 28th July 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Inside the UK’s biggest prison – BBC News

Posted July 27th, 2016 in assault, codes of practice, contracting out, drug abuse, news, prisons, standards, statistics, violent disorder by sally

‘By the end of this year, HMP Oakwood in Staffordshire will be the largest prison in the UK, with more than 2,000 inmates. Run by private firm G4S, Oakwood’s reputation was dented in 2014 when a wing in the prison was taken over by inmates. Sima Kotecha has been inside.’

Full story

BBC News, 27th July 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prison’s gross failures contributed to death of inmate, inquest finds – The Guardian

Posted July 27th, 2016 in arson, coroners, disclosure, fire, health & safety, inquests, learning difficulties, mental health, news, ombudsmen, prisons, standards, suicide by sally

‘A catastrophic series of failures contributed to the death of a prisoner, who died after setting fire to his cell, an inquest jury ruled.’

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The Guardian, 26th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Justice advisory council’s future up in the air after reshuffle – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 25th, 2016 in barristers, criminal justice, Law Society, legal profession, news, prisons, solicitors by sally

‘Uncertainty surrounds the future of the advisory council set up by former lord chancellor Michael Gove to examine ways to eliminate waste and abuses in the criminal justice system.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 25th July 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Chief coroner calls for legal aid provision in state-involved inquests – The Guardian

Posted July 25th, 2016 in bereavement, codes of practice, coroners, doctors, equality, families, inquests, legal aid, news, police, prisons, remuneration, statistics, suicide by sally

‘Legal aid should be provided for families at inquests in which the government pays for lawyers to represent police officers or other state employees, the chief coroner has recommended.’

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The Guardian, 25th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

We Need To Talk About… Prisoner Voting – RightsInfo

Posted July 22nd, 2016 in elections, human rights, news, prisons by sally

‘One of the most heated debates over the role of the European Court of Human Rights, and its relationship with the UK, is the issue of prisoner voting.’

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RightsInfo, 20th July 2016

Source: www.rightsinfo.org

Man jailed for using drone to fly drugs into prisons – The Guardian

Posted July 22nd, 2016 in conspiracy, drug offences, news, prisons, sentencing by sally

‘A man who used a drone to fly contraband into prisons has become the first person in the UK to be jailed for the crime, police said.’

Full story

The Guardian, 21st July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prisons now unacceptably violent, says watchdog – BBC News

Posted July 20th, 2016 in assault, drug abuse, homicide, news, ombudsmen, prisons, statistics by tracey

‘Prisons in England and Wales have become “unacceptably violent and dangerous places”, the chief inspector of prisons has warned. In his first annual report, Peter Clarke said the “grim situation” revealed in last year’s report was now “even worse” is some areas.’

Full story

BBC News, 19th July 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk