No Sky TV, no Xbox: prisoners’ perks to be axed as Chris Grayling gets tough on jails – The Independent

Posted April 15th, 2013 in news, prisons by sally

“Thousands of prisoners could lose their automatic access to gym equipment, games consoles and other perks under plans for a tough new regime in Britain’s jails.”

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The Independent, 14th April 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Law Society president on legal aid change – BBC News

Posted April 10th, 2013 in budgets, immigration, legal aid, news, prisons by sally

“The government has proposed cutting legal aid for prisoners, newly-arrived immigrants and people with incomes of more £37,500 to reduce the overall bill.”

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BBC News, 9th April 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

New migrants will have to wait a year for legal aid – The Guardian

Posted April 8th, 2013 in asylum, budgets, custody, immigration, legal aid, news, prisons by sally

“Foreign nationals are to be denied the right to obtain legal aid for civil cases until they have lived in Britain for at least a year, the justice secretary Chris Grayling will announce this week.”

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The Guardian, 7th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Policy allowing cross-gender searches in prisons not unlawful, says High Court – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted April 5th, 2013 in news, prisons, search & seizure, sex discrimination by sally

“The secretary of state’s policy in respect of rub-down searches of prisoners, which allows cross-gender searches in the case of male prisoners but not for female prisoners, does not discriminate against male prisoners on grounds of sex.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 4th April 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Prisoners may lose legal aid for jail complaints – The Guardian

Posted April 4th, 2013 in complaints, consultations, legal aid, news, ombudsmen, prisons by sally

“Convicted criminals could be barred from claiming legal aid to fund complaints about the prison system regarding matters such as categorisation, moves, correspondence and visits.”

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The Guardian, 4th April 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina (Dowsett) v Secretary of State for Justice – WLR Daily

Regina (Dowsett) v Secretary of State for Justice [2013] EWHC 687 (Admin); [2013] WLR (D) 126

“The Secretary of State’s policy that male prisoners could not normally object to “rub-down” searches being conducted by a female prison officer except on genuine religious or cultural grounds was not discriminatory on grounds of sex or lack of religion. The exceptions to the policy were a proportionate way of dealing with genuine objections by male prisoners to being searched by female officers and the width of the exceptions to the policy did not lead to an unacceptable risk of unlawful decision-making.”

WLR Daily, 27th March 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

James Best: Jailed in the riots for stealing a gingerbread man… dead in the prison that should have protected him – The Independent

Posted April 2nd, 2013 in death in custody, mental health, news, prisons, public order, theft by sally

“James Best had a history of mental health problems before being jailed after the riots of 2011. Now his brother has warned that the systemic failures which led to his death could happen again.”

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The Independent, 1st April 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

European court adjourns prisoner voting case – BBC News

Posted March 27th, 2013 in adjournment, EC law, elections, human rights, news, prisons by tracey

“Human rights judges have adjourned until September consideration of more than
2,300 legal cases against the UK over prisoner voting rights.”

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BBC News, 26th March 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Vicky Pryce prison photographs may have breached PCC code of conduct – The Guardian

Posted March 26th, 2013 in codes of practice, complaints, media, news, photography, prisons, privacy by sally

“The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) has begun an investigation into whether newspaper photographs showing Vicky Pryce serving her prison sentence might have breached its code of conduct.”

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The Guardian, 22nd March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Should prison be reserved for dangerous criminals? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted March 26th, 2013 in dangerous offenders, detention, news, prisons, sentencing by sally

“This month we saw eight-month sentences handed out to Chris Huhne and his ex-wife Vicky Pryce for perverting the course of justice. Both had been warned to ‘be under no illusion as to the likely sentence’ – the judicial way of saying, ‘expect a custodial sentence’. Of course, the lawyers would tell you that this was inevitable as the courts treat such crimes severely.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 22nd March 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Targeted support for women offenders – Ministry of Justice

Posted March 26th, 2013 in news, prisons, rehabilitation, reports, women by sally

“Female offenders should receive more targeted support to break the cycle of crime and abuse many of them face, Justice Minister Helen Grant said today.”

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Ministry of Justice, 22nd March 2013

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Wandsworth jail criticised over prisoner death – The Guardian

Posted March 26th, 2013 in death in custody, inquests, news, prisons by sally

“An inquest jury has criticised procedures and practice at the UK’s biggest jail following the death of a prisoner, jailed for stealing a gingerbread man in the 2011 riots.”

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The Guardian, 26th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

What will happen to human rights after the next election? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted March 20th, 2013 in elections, human rights, immigration, news, prisons, speeches by tracey

“Human rights will be a politically live issue at the next election. Leading on the issue will by the Conservative Party, urged on by elements in the media such as the Daily Mail with a commercial interest in resistance to any law on privacy deriving from human rights. So, the Working Men’s College has done well to identify this topic for exploration. This evening is a celebration of the college’s stated aim to ‘engage positively with the past, while finding new ways to pursue its founders’ aims into the 21st century.’ ”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 20th March 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Should the Decision of the Foreign Secretary be Justiciable? – Louise Christian

Should the Decision of the Foreign Secretary be Justiciable?

Louise Christian, Senior Consultant and Head of Public Law, Christian Khan Solicitors

Inner Temple Reader’s Lecture Series, 18th February 2013

Source: www.innertemple.org.uk

Prisoners charge £200 to take speeding points – Daily Telegraph

“Prison inmates are offering to take points for motorists caught speeding as part of a thriving scam, the Daily Telegraph has learned.”

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Daily Telegraph, 16th March 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Inquest to open into death of prisoner convicted of stealing gingerbread man – The Guardian

Posted March 18th, 2013 in death in custody, inquests, mental health, news, prisons, theft by sally

“The inquest into the death in prison of a man convicted of stealing a gingerbread man during the riots in 2011 opens in London on Monday. James Best, 37, had a history of mental illness and physical problems, which his foster family say were not addressed by the prison.”

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The Guardian, 17th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Youth jail illegally punished seven protesting teenagers, court rules – The Guardian

Posted March 7th, 2013 in demonstrations, illegality, news, prisons, punishment, young offenders by sally

“A privately run youth jail illegally punished seven teenagers after they were involved in a protest over conditions on their wing, a high court judge has ruled.”

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The Guardian, 7th March 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prison cuts ‘could lead to more crimes’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 5th, 2013 in crime, news, prisons, recidivists, rehabilitation, reports by sally

“Serial criminals could commit even more crimes, MPs have warned, because cuts to prison services risk rehabilitation programmes being scaled back.”

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Daily Telegraph, 5th March 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Chris Grayling to ban fertility treatment for prisoners – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 1st, 2013 in assisted reproduction, human rights, news, prisons by tracey

“Chris Grayling, the Justice Secretary, has revealed he wants to ban prisoners
from having access to costly fertility treatment from behind bars.”

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Daily Telegraph, 28th February 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Released prisoners to be banned from moving around country – The Guardian

Posted February 28th, 2013 in early release, freedom of movement, news, prisons, probation, rehabilitation by sally

“Newly released prisoners will be banned from moving around the country when they leave jail to ensure they complete rehabilitation programmes, Chris Grayling has told MPs.”

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The Guardian, 27th February 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk