Category: prisons

Open Prisons – BBC Law in Action

Posted June 18th, 2014 in news, prisons by sally

‘Following a spate of high profile escapes, Law in Action asks does the open prison system need reforming?

This week, Joshua Rozenberg visits Kirkham Prison – an open prison in Lancashire – to find out what open prisons are really like. In the studio, Joshua speaks to Conservative MP Philip Davies – who has been highly critical of the system – and journalist Noel ‘Razor’ Smith, who was given a 26-year sentence for bank robbery.’

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BBC Law in Action, 17th June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Delay on tougher sentences for knife crime to avoid prison overcrowding – The Guardian

Posted June 17th, 2014 in news, offensive weapons, prisons, recidivists, sentencing by sally

‘The justice secretary, Chris Grayling, is expected to delay the introduction of a guideline for minimum six-month jail sentences for those repeatedly caught carrying a knife because of the impact on the rising prison population.’

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The Guardian, 17th June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prisons face overcrowding due to policy failure, says watchdog – The Guardian

Posted June 16th, 2014 in budgets, news, ombudsmen, prisons, sexual offences, standards, statistics, suicide by sally

‘The public is being put at risk by a “political and policy failure” in jails which risks boiling over this summer, the prisons’ inspectorate has warned as the government admitted more inmates would have to share cells to cope with an unexpected rise in numbers.’

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The Guardian, 14th June 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘We are recreating Bedlam’: the crisis in prison mental health services – The Guardian

Posted May 28th, 2014 in mental health, news, prisons by sally

‘Mental health services in prison are under critical strain – in some institutions, as many as half of all inmates may need psychiatric help, but are often unable to get it. Such failures can have tragic results.’

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The Guardian, 24th May 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prisoners who have absconded should not be in open prisons, says Grayling – The Guardian

Posted May 19th, 2014 in bills, criminal justice, electronic monitoring, escape from custody, murder, news, prisons by sally

‘The justice secretary is to prevent prisoners who have absconded from being placed in open prison conditions after a convicted murderer went on the run for the third time.’

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The Guardian, 19th May 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prisoners to challenge indeterminate sentences at UK supreme court – The Guardian

Posted May 19th, 2014 in appeals, human rights, news, prisons, rehabilitation, sentencing, statistics, Supreme Court by sally

‘The supreme court will hear a challenge by four offenders on Monday who allege that indeterminate sentences infringe the rights of prisoners if they are unable to get on to rehabilitative courses.

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The Guardian, 19th May 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Plan for Europe’s biggest children’s prison ‘would put young offenders at increased risk of harm or death’ – The Independent

Posted May 12th, 2014 in bills, children, news, prisons, young offenders by sally

‘Controversial plans to build Europe’s biggest children’s prison in the Midlands would put young offenders at increased risk of harm and even death, campaigners warned last night.’

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The Independent, 11th May 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

From jail to jihad? The threat of prison radicalisation – BBC News

Posted May 12th, 2014 in ASBOs, Islam, news, prisons, terrorism by sally

‘The head of the prison and probation service says there is a small but “significant risk” of Muslim prisoners becoming radicalised. Panorama spoke to one convict who was met by Islamic extremists when he was released from prison.’

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BBC News, 12th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Prison book ban may face legal challenge – BBC News

Posted May 7th, 2014 in news, prisons, rehabilitation, time limits by sally

‘A government policy that bans books being sent to prisoners in England and Wales may face a legal challenge.’

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BBC News, 7th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Regina (Lee-Hirons) v Secretary of State for Justice and another – WLR Daily

Posted May 6th, 2014 in appeals, detention, law reports, mental health, prisons, reasons by tracey

Regina (Lee-Hirons) v Secretary of State for Justice and another: [2014] EWCA Civ 514; [2014] WLR (D) 183

‘Where the Secretary of State recalled a person to be detained in hospital under section 42(3) of the Mental Health Act 1983, the Secretary of State was not under a duty at common law nor under article 5.1 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms to give his reasons for the person’s detention immediately when he was detained and thus such reasons were not required to be given in writing upon detention. However, article 5.2 required those reasons to be adequately and promptly given to him following his detention.’

WLR Daily, 1st May 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Review after ‘Skull Cracker’ Michael Wheatley absconds – BBC News

Posted May 6th, 2014 in fugitive offenders, news, prisons, release on licence by tracey

‘A review has been ordered after an armed robber dubbed “the Skull Cracker” went missing when he was temporarily allowed out of an open prison.’

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BBC news, 5th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Salford prison van escape gang jailed for armed ambush – BBC News

Posted April 30th, 2014 in conspiracy, firearms, news, perverting the course of justice, prisons, sentencing, transfer of prisoners, weapons by sally

‘An armed gang who crashed a car into a prison van to free two men have been jailed by Manchester Crown Court.’

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BBC News, 29th April 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Triple killer wins £800 after belongings are damaged in prison move – The Guardian

Posted April 28th, 2014 in compensation, delay, news, ombudsmen, prison officers, prisons by sally

‘A triple killer has won £800 in compensation after some of his belongings, including nose hair clippers, cranberry juice and an alarm clock, were lost or broken in prison.’

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The Guardian, 28th April 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Wakefield Prison nurse Karen Cosford struck off register – BBC News

Posted April 24th, 2014 in disciplinary procedures, disqualification, news, nurses, prisons, professional conduct by tracey

‘A prison nurse who had an affair with a rapist at Wakefield Prison has been ordered to be struck off the register.’

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BBC News, 23rd April 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Passive smoking in prison not a breach of human rights – Court of Appeal – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted April 15th, 2014 in appeals, detention, human rights, news, prisons, smoking by tracey

‘Smith, R (on the application of v Secretary of State for Justice and G4S UK Ltd [2014] EWCA Civ 380. This case raises the question of whether it is a breach of a non-smoking prisoner’s Convention right to respect for his private life and to equality of access to such rights (ECHR Articles 8 and 14) to compel him to share a cell with a smoker.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 14th April 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Brazuks v Prosecutor General’s Office, Republic of Latvia; Zibala v Prosecutor General’s Office, Republic of Latvia; Sinicins v Prosecutor General’s Office, Republic of Latvia – WLR Daily

Posted April 10th, 2014 in appeals, extradition, human rights, law reports, prisons by sally

Brazuks v Prosecutor General’s Office, Republic of Latvia; Zibala v Prosecutor General’s Office, Republic of Latvia; Sinicins v Prosecutor General’s Office, Republic of Latvia [2014] EWHC 1021 (Admin); [2014] WLR (D) 160

‘The state of the Latvian prison estate was not such as to produce a real risk that there would be a breach of article 3 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms if extradition were directed.’

WLR Daily, 9th April 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Shocking justice gap for disabled prisoners – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted April 7th, 2014 in Administrative Court, civil procedure rules, disability discrimination, disabled persons, equality, judicial review, legal aid, news, prisons, proportionality by sally

‘It is Prison Service policy that prisons provide a fair and equal service to all prisoners, including to those who are disabled. The purpose of this policy is to make sure that the Prison Service meets its obligations under the Equality Act 2010 (EqA). However, for many disabled prisoners, these obligations are not being met.’

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 4th April 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Prison officers’ failings contributed to vulnerable boy’s death, inquest rules – The Guardian

Posted April 7th, 2014 in bullying, death in custody, inquests, news, prison officers, prisons, suicide, young offenders by sally

‘An inquest jury has found multiple failings by staff at a young offender institution contributed to the death of a 17-year-old boy, who had been bullied by other inmates.’

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The Guardian, 4th April 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Milly Dowler’s killer Levi Bellfield awarded £4,500 over prison attack – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 4th, 2014 in assault, compensation, news, prisons by sally

‘The Ministry of Justice is ‘hugely disappointed’ that the triple murderer will receive taxpayer funded compensation.’

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Daily Telegraph, 4th April 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Prison books row: justice secretary could face legal action, says lawyer – The Guardian

Posted April 1st, 2014 in education, news, prisons, rehabilitation by sally

‘Campaigners fighting the Ministry of Justice over a ban on books being sent to prisoners on Monday threatened to take their battle to the courts.’

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The Guardian, 31st March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk