‘Lifeline’ community treatment pilots to steer offenders away from crime – Ministry of Justice

‘Vulnerable offenders will be offered targeted treatment under new plans designed to boost rehabilitation and reduce reoffending.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 20th June 2019

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

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

More prisoners to be temporarily released for work as government relaxes rules – The Independent

Posted May 28th, 2019 in employment, news, prisons, recidivists, rehabilitation, statistics, violence by tracey

‘More prisoners are to be temporarily released for work, education or to see loved ones after the government relaxed rules.’

Full Ministry of Justice press release

Full Story

The Independent, 28th May 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

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

M25 killer Kenneth Noye to be freed from prison – BBC News

Posted May 23rd, 2019 in early release, murder, news, parole, recidivists, rehabilitation, road traffic by tracey

‘M25 road-rage killer Kenneth Noye is to be released from prison, the Parole Board has confirmed.’

Full Story

BBC News, 22nd May 2019

Source: www.bbc.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

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

‘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

James Bulger: Father of murdered toddler in legal bid to reveal more details about killer’s new life – The Independent

‘The father and uncle of murdered toddler James Bulger have begun a legal battle for information about one of the killers, Jon Venables, to be made public.’

Full Story

The Independent, 26th February 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Brain injuries in women prisoners are linked to mental illness and reoffending – The Independent

Posted February 26th, 2019 in alcohol abuse, drug abuse, mental health, news, prisons, recidivists, women by tracey

‘People with traumatic brain injuries are more likely to be violent, more likely to go to prison at a younger age (and have multiple convictions) and more likely to disobey prison rules. They are also more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs, more likely to have mental health problems and more likely to attempt suicide. Surprisingly, given the vast range of negative outcomes for this type of trauma, there have been few studies on brain injury among female prisoners.’

Full Story

The Independent, 26th 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

Redcar man given life for smothering partner had killed before – The Guardian

Posted February 22nd, 2019 in domestic violence, murder, news, recidivists, sentencing by tracey

‘A man who has been given a life sentence for smothering his partner after a row had previously killed a girlfriend.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 21st February 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Prison isn’t working’: David Gauke calls for end to short jail terms – The Guardian

Posted February 19th, 2019 in community service, news, prisons, recidivists, rehabilitation, sentencing, statistics by sally

‘The justice secretary has said he wants to end short prison sentences because they do not work and hopes that technology and more community sentences will provide better alternatives to jail.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 18th February 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Knife offenders to wear GPS tags in London pilot scheme – The Guardian

Posted February 11th, 2019 in electronic monitoring, London, murder, news, pilot schemes, police, recidivists, statistics, weapons by tracey

‘Knife crime offenders in London will be tagged with tracking devices upon their release from prison in an attempt to reduce violence in the capital, the mayor has announced.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 11th February 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Prison sentences: Charities and probation staff union welcome proposals – BBC News

Posted January 14th, 2019 in charities, news, prisons, probation, recidivists, sentencing, statistics by tracey

‘Ministers are being warned that a proposal to scrap prison sentences of six months or less will only work if there is more investment in the probation services. The government says this approach in England and Wales’ prisons could reduce overcrowding and re-offending.’

Full Story

BBC News, 12th January 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

What happened next? The lawyer who took on John Worboys – and showed how the justice system fails women – The Guardian

Posted December 17th, 2018 in criminal justice, news, parole, rape, recidivists, sexual offences, statistics, victims, women by sally

‘The parole board’s decision to release the black cab rapist was met with shock and outrage. Harriet Wistrich fought the decision, and won, but says there will be many more similar cases in future.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 17th December 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Catfish’ rapist who blackmailed victims he met online is jailed for 15 years – Daily Telegraph

‘A “predatory sex offender” who was spared jail after blackmailing a girl he met online went on to rape a woman after his rehabilitation course was delayed due to “financial constraints,” a court has heard.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 6th December 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

‘Low-level’ paedophiles could avoid jail terms under new guidance – Daily Telegraph

‘Police have been told by government that paedophiles caught with indecent child abuse images can receive conditional cautions instead of jail as police struggle to cope with an explosion of cases.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 2nd November 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk