Presumed guilty? Ministry of Justice is forced to withdraw advice leaflet – The Guardian

‘Red-faced Ministry of Justice (MoJ) officials have been forced to deny claims that they had dismantled a centuries-old cornerstone of British law in advice that the ministry gave to people facing criminal trials.’

Full story

The Guardian, 1st February 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Sex therapy in prisons does not stop rapists reoffending, warns expert – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 29th, 2015 in news, prisons, recidivists, rehabilitation, sexual offences by sally

‘David Ho, a Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, said there was no evidence to show that therapy prevented further offending.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 28th January 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

One in 4 inmates at youth ‘prison’ held in virtual solitary confinement, say inspectors – The Independent

‘Boys as young as 15 are being held in virtual solitary confinement in a youth prison plagued by gang violence, inspectors warn today.’

Full story

The Independent, 13th January 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The legal issues in the Ched Evans case – BBC News

‘Footballer Ched Evans is still looking for a new club after being released from prison last October, having served half of a five-year sentence for the rape of a 19-year-old woman in a hotel in May 2011.’

Full story

BBC News, 6th January 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Charities in front seat of new reoffending drive – Ministry of Justice

Posted December 19th, 2014 in charities, contracting out, news, probation, recidivists, rehabilitation by sally

‘The government fired the starting gun today [18 December] on making key reforms to the way ex-offenders are looked after in the community, in an effort to tackle stubbornly high reoffending rates in England and Wales.’

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 18th December 2014

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

Regina (Gordon-Jones) v Secretary of State for Justice and another – WLR Daily

Posted December 18th, 2014 in education, human rights, law reports, prisons, rehabilitation by sally

Regina (Gordon-Jones) v Secretary of State for Justice and another [2014] EWHC 3997 (Admin); [2014] WLR (D) 528

‘Prison Service Instruction (“PSI”) 30/2013 was unlawful in so far as it included books as earnable within the Incentives and Earned Privileges Scheme and excluded them from items that could be sent to or received by prisoners.’

WLR Daily, 5th December 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Supreme Court finds third way between Strasbourg and House of Lords – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted December 12th, 2014 in human rights, imprisonment, news, rehabilitation, sentencing, Supreme Court by sally

‘Indeterminate sentences and the inadequate funding of rehabilitation during them has posed problems since Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences hamstrung the system. The courts here and in Strasbourg have been in two minds what to do about cases where prisoners have not received the assistance they ought to have received – and hence are not, by domestic standards, ready for release.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 11th December 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Restrictions on books in prisons declared unlawful by the High Court – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted December 11th, 2014 in human rights, news, prisons, rehabilitation by sally

‘Contrary to what some media reports would have us believe, Prison Service Instruction (“PSI”) 30/2013 did not impose an absolute ban on books in prisons. It did, however, impose severe restrictions on the possession or acquisition of books which a prisoner can treat as his or her own. The High Court has found that those restrictions could not be justified by the limited provision of prison library services and are therefore unlawful.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 11th December 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

R (on applications of Haney, Kaiyam, Massey and Robinson) v The Secretary of State for Justice – Supreme Court

Posted December 11th, 2014 in appeals, damages, human rights, law reports, rehabilitation, sentencing, Supreme Court by sally

R (on the application of Faisal Kaiyam) (Appellant) v Secretary of State for Justice (Respondent)
On appeal from the Court of Appeal (Civil Division) (England and Wales) [2014] UKSC 66
(YouTube)

Supreme Court, 10th December 2014

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

Prison book ban is unlawful, court rules – The Guardian

Posted December 8th, 2014 in libraries, news, prisons, rehabilitation by sally

‘The blanket ban on sending books to prisoners in England and Wales has been declared unlawful by the high court.’

Full story

The Guardian, 5th December 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ched Evans: Release, Retribution and Rehabilitation – Littleton Chambers

‘In April 2012 Ched Evans, the former Wales and Sheffield United striker, was convicted of raping a 19-year-old woman in a hotel room in Rhyl, Denbighshire. It is a shocking and a wholly unacceptable crime for him to have committed.’

Full story

Littleton Chambers, 1st December 2014

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

Chris Grayling to press ahead with probation service privatisation – The Guardian

Posted December 3rd, 2014 in murder, news, probation, public private partnerships, rehabilitation, trade unions by sally

‘The justice secretary, Chris Grayling, has told MPs he will press ahead with a decision on Wednesday to privatise the probation service, despite renewed public safety concerns and before the outcome of a high court challenge next week.’

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd December 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The jail that has reduced violence by helping inmates escape from the gang – The Guardian

Posted November 19th, 2014 in crime, families, gangs, murder, news, prisons, rehabilitation, young offenders by sally

‘Gang rivalries are driving up assaults in custody, but one prison has cut violent incidents by 75%.’

Full story

The Guardian, 19th November 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Women in prison: interviews with ex-offenders – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted November 17th, 2014 in criminal justice, news, prisons, rehabilitation, sentencing, women by sally

‘Halsbury’s Law Exchange carried out interviews with six female ex-offenders as part of wider research into women in prison and the penal system. This video was first premiered at the panel discussion: Women in prison: is the penal system fit for purpose? on 11 November 2014.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 12th November 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Oral statement to Parliament – Prisoner communications – Ministry of Justice

Posted November 12th, 2014 in confidentiality, news, prison officers, prisons, rehabilitation, telecommunications by sally

‘Oral Statement on prisoner communications by the Secretary of State for Justice, 11 November 2015.’

Full statement

Ministry of Justice, 11th November 2014

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

Powerboater injured in crash awarded £5.5m damages – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 12th, 2014 in costs, damages, news, personal injuries, rehabilitation, sport by sally

‘A talented young powerboater who suffered catastrophic head injuries when two boats collided during a race has been awarded £5.5 million High Court damages.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 11th November 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Harry Roberts: Police killer released from prison – BBC News

Posted November 12th, 2014 in gangs, murder, news, police, rehabilitation, sentencing by sally

‘Notorious police killer Harry Roberts has been released from prison. Roberts, now 78, was jailed for life for murdering three unarmed officers in Shepherd’s Bush, west London, in 1966.’

Full story

BBC News, 12th November 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Delays in prisoner rehabilitation did not breach Convention – Strasbourg Court – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 10th, 2014 in human rights, news, parole, prisons, rehabilitation by sally

‘Two prisoners have failed in their human rights protest against prison rehabilitation courses in the United Kingdom.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 7th November 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Will Cornick sentence disproportionate, say youth justice campaigners – The Guardian

Posted November 5th, 2014 in Crown Court, murder, news, rehabilitation, sentencing, young offenders by sally

‘Youth justice campaigners have voiced concerns over the 20-year minimum tariff given to the 16-year-old schoolboy who murdered teacher Ann Maguire.’

Full story

The Guardian, 4th November 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Family Drug and Alcohol Court: A Practitioners’ and Judge’s Perspectives – Family Law Week

Posted November 4th, 2014 in alcohol abuse, care orders, courts, drug abuse, family courts, news, rehabilitation by sally

‘Sarah Jennings & Esther Lieu, 3PB, with District Judge Julie Exton look at the Family Drug and Alcohol Court.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 31st October 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk