Justice secretary urges evidence-led approach to cut crime – Ministry of Justice

‘Justice Secretary David Gauke today called for an “evidence-led” approach to tackling reoffending in order to crack down on crime and reduce the number of victims.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 18th July 2019

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

Chris Grayling’s privatisation of probation service ‘a disaster’ – The Guardian

Posted July 1st, 2019 in contracting out, news, probation, reports by sally

‘The extent of Chris Grayling’s botched privatisation of the probation service is exposed by research which brands it an “unmitigated disaster” that left the public at greater risk from ex-offenders released from jail.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 30th June 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

England and Wales jail ‘shameful’ numbers of people, says report – The Guardian

Posted June 24th, 2019 in contracting out, news, prisons, probation, recidivists, rehabilitation, statistics by tracey

‘More people are being sent to prison in England and Wales every year than anywhere else in western Europe, figures described as “shameful” suggest.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 24th June 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

M25 killer Kenneth Noye released from prison – BBC News

Posted June 7th, 2019 in early release, murder, news, probation by tracey

‘M25 road-rage killer Kenneth Noye has been released from prison.’

Full Story

BBC News, 6th June 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Shiney Row burning inquest: Failings ‘possibly contributed’ to death – BBC News

Posted June 5th, 2019 in inquests, murder, news, police, probation, release on licence, unlawful killing by sally

‘Failings by police and the probation service “possibly contributed” to the death of a woman murdered by two convicted killers, a coroner has ruled.’

Full Story

BBC News, 5th June 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Magistrates call for end to prison sentences under eight weeks – The Guardian

‘Prison sentences of less than eight weeks should no longer be imposed by the courts, the Magistrates’ Association is urging, in defiance of more radical government proposals.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 4th June 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Revealed: single offender has been jailed nearly 200 times -The Guardian

‘A single offender has been sentenced to almost 200 jail terms of less than six months in their lifetime, new figures reveal, renewing calls for an overhaul of the justice system to curb the use of ineffective short sentences. The highest number of previous immediate prison sentences of under six months given to an offender sentenced in 2018 in England and Wales was 198, according to a response to a freedom of information request submitted by the charity Revolving Doors.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 23rd May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Victims of rape and violence being left in dark about attackers’ whereabouts by authorities – The Independent

Posted May 23rd, 2019 in news, notification, probation, rape, sexual offences, statistics, victims, violence by tracey

‘Victims of rape and violence are being “let down” and left in the dark about their attackers’ whereabouts, a report has found. The service provided by the National Probation Service (NPS) was “poor”, HM Inspectorate of Probation said in the wake of criticism over “black cab rapist” John Worboys case.’

Full Story

The Independent, 22nd May 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Grayling probation changes led to ‘expensive merry-go-round’, says report – The Guardian

‘Offenders have been locked in an “expensive merry-go-round” by a key plank of Chris Grayling’s disastrous probation overhaul, which has failed to reduce reoffending, a watchdog has said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 21st May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Probation will be renationalised after disastrous Grayling reforms – The Guardian

Posted May 16th, 2019 in contracting out, news, probation, recidivists, rehabilitation, statistics by sally

‘The supervision of all offenders in the community is to be undertaken by the state in a major renationalisation of the probation sector, just five years after Chris Grayling introduced a widely derided programme of privatisation while justice secretary.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 16th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

New prison anti-corruption taskforce unveiled – Ministry of Justice

‘A specialist taskforce to tackle staff corruption in jails has been announced by Justice Secretary David Gauke today (4 May 2019).’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 4th May 2019

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

Grayling probation changes ‘took unacceptable risks’ with public money – The Guardian

‘Chris Grayling’s widely derided changes to the supervision of a quarter of a million offenders in the community were rushed through at breakneck speed, taking “unacceptable risks” with taxpayers’ money, a spending watchdog has said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 3rd May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Terror case delayed after judge criticises pre-sentence report – The Guardian

Posted April 15th, 2019 in delay, news, probation, reports, sentencing, terrorism, young offenders by michael

‘A judge has delayed sentencing a teenage student who was convicted of plotting a terror attack, because of “deep concerns” over a report prepared by an inexperienced probation worker.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 15th April 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Probation services: Part-privatised system ‘flawed’ – BBC News

Posted March 28th, 2019 in contracting out, news, probation by sally

‘The system which sees private firms monitor criminals serving community sentences is “irredeemably flawed”, the chief inspector of probation has said.’

Full Story

BBC News, 28th March 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘In probation, we’re poorly paid and the caseloads are unmanageable’ – The Guardian

‘Chris Grayling’s 2013 reforms have cost more, yet failed to cut reoffending or reduce staff shortages.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 13th March 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Dangerous’ part-privatisation of probation services costing taxpayers extra £467m, watchdog finds – The Independent

‘The number of criminals being sent back to prison for violating licence conditions has skyrocketed since the government’s “dangerous” part-privatisation of probation services, a watchdog has found.’

Full Story

The Independent, 1st March 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

More than 200 criminals supervised by private probation firms charged with murder since 2014 – The Independent

Posted February 28th, 2019 in contracting out, murder, news, probation, statistics by tracey

‘Some 225 convicted criminals being supervised by private firms have been charged with murder since the probation service was overhauled in 2014, official figures show.’

Full Story

The Independent, 27th February 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Abolishing short prison sentences will let ‘thousands of hardened criminals avoid jail’, report claims – The Independent

‘Ministers’ calls for short prison sentences to be abolished would see thousands of hardened criminals avoid jail, a report has claimed.’

Full Story

The Independent, 25th February 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Private probation firms in Wales and south west in administration – BBC News

Posted February 18th, 2019 in contracting out, insolvency, news, probation by sally

‘Private firms which manage thousands of offenders in Wales and south west England have gone into administration.’

Full Story

BBC News, 15th February 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Kathleen Griffin death: Torture killer ‘could have been stopped’ – BBC News

‘A woman was tortured and killed by a man who authorities should have stopped from living with her, a report said.’

Full Story

BBC News, 7th February 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk