Judge attacks Chris Grayling for failing to provide prisoners with healthy sex courses – Daily Telegraph

‘High Court judge says the Justice Secretary is failing in his duty to provide the course high-risk prisoners need to take before they are considered for release.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 3rd November 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Sentence for Ann Maguire’s killer ‘out of step with rest of western Europe’ – The Guardian

Posted November 4th, 2014 in mental health, murder, news, rehabilitation, sentencing, young offenders by sally

‘The 20-year minimum sentence handed out to the killer of teacher Ann Maguire is too harsh and puts Britain out of step with more lenient attitudes in the rest of Europe, according to a leading youth justice campaigner.’

Full story

The Guardian, 4th November 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Voluntary sector at forefront of new fight against reoffending – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 30th, 2014 in charities, contracting out, news, probation, recidivists, rehabilitation by sally

‘A major step towards completing the government’s crucial rehabilitation reforms was taken today, as the organisations that will play a key role in turning round the lives of offenders were announced.’

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 29th October 2014

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

Q&A: Probation reforms explained – BBC News

Posted October 30th, 2014 in charities, contracting out, news, probation, rehabilitation by sally

‘In June the government put into force plans to change the way the probation service runs, and forged ahead with proposals to privatise parts of it. But why are some people unhappy about this?’

Full story

BBC News, 29th October 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

High security prisoners offered academic course to learn about ’causes of crime’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 29th, 2014 in news, prisons, rehabilitation, universities by sally

‘Academics from Durham University will teach criminology to prisoners and students inside Category ‘A’ jail.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 29th October 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Child offender tagging system ‘not working’ – BBC News

‘A tagging programme for child offenders is not working and results in excessive punishment, a charity has warned.’

Full story

BBC News, 29th September 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Sex Offenders, prison v treatment – CrimeLine

Posted September 18th, 2014 in imprisonment, news, rehabilitation, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

‘In a recent case the Court of Appeal found fault with a sentence of 2 years imprisonment imposed on a man who had in his possession indecent images of children. The Court thought the appropriate starting point after trial to be in the order of 15-18 months, meaning in this case an actual sentence of 10 – 12 months, of which the offender would serve only half. So be it you might think.’

Full story

CrimeLine, 17th September 2014

Source: www.crimeline.info

Chris Grayling plans network of mental health centres in prisons – The Guardian

Posted September 16th, 2014 in mental health, news, prisons, rehabilitation by sally

‘Chris Grayling has ordered justice ministry officials to start work on developing a network of specialist mental health centres within prisons in England and Wales.’

Full story

The Guardian, 16th September 2014

Source: www.www.guardian.co.uk

Abolishing prison sentences for drug users: sensible or a step too far? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted August 12th, 2014 in drug abuse, health, imprisonment, news, rehabilitation, sentencing by sally

‘Nick Clegg announced last week that a pledge to abolish prison sentences for the possession of drugs for personal use will form part of the Liberal Democrat’s manifesto for the next election. The manifesto commitment would include a promise to move the drug policy lead from the Home Office to the Department of Health, and would seek to divert users into treatment for their addiction, community sentences, or to civil penalties that do not attract a criminal record. The plans would even extend to the possession of Class A substances such as heroin and crack cocaine. This is a controversial proposal, but does it have merit?’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 11th August 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Exclusive: Heroin addicts to be given free foil to help them kick their habit – The Independent

Posted August 8th, 2014 in drug abuse, health, news, rehabilitation by sally

‘Heroin addicts are to be given free foil – to heat up the drug – in an effort to help them kick the habit and cut the risk of contracting disease, the Government will announce tomorrow.’

Full story

The Independent, 7th August 2014

Source: www.independent.uk

Understanding Serious Brain Injury – No. 5 Chambers

Posted August 7th, 2014 in accidents, disabled persons, news, personal injuries, rehabilitation by sally

‘At any time, as those who have suffered a serious injury to the brain or have been close to someone who has will know, your life can be turned upside down in less than a fated second. The first news of a serious traumatic event is shocking, thoughts often turn to simply holding onto life and then anxiety over the serious permanent disability which may follow; in the mind of those involved it is very much the physical disabilities which are at the forefront.’

Full story

No. 5 Chambers, 16th July 2014

Source: www.no5.com

‘Sobriety tags’ to be worn by offenders of alcohol-linked crime in pilot scheme – The Guardian

‘People who repeatedly commit alcohol-related crime will be forced to wear ankle tags that monitor whether they are still drinking, under a year-long pilot scheme.’

Full story

The Guardian, 31st July 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Luton boy, 16, filmed beating animals banned for life – BBC News

Posted May 23rd, 2014 in animal cruelty, news, rehabilitation, young offenders by sally

‘A teenager who had footage on his phone of him kicking a cat in the face and repeatedly beating a dog has been banned from keeping animals for life.’

Full story

BBC News, 22nd May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

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

‘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.

Full story

The Guardian, 19th May 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

What can we learn from drug courts? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘Why were drug courts set up?

The introduction of drug courts in the UK has followed a slightly different trajectory to other jurisdictions, where drug courts filled an important gap in the range of community-based sanctions available to the courts to deal with drug-related crime.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 13th May 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Man convicted of grooming teenage girls online escapes jail – The Independent

Posted May 14th, 2014 in child abuse, internet, news, rehabilitation, sentencing, sexual grooming by sally

‘A man who groomed girls as young as 12 on social networking sites and watched them strip on Skype has escaped a jail sentence. MPs and charities branded the sentence “appalling”. The case has been referred to Attorney General Dominic Grieve.’

Full story

The Independent, 14th May 2014

Source: www.independent.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.’

Full story

BBC News, 7th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.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.’

Full story

The Guardian, 31st March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Solicitors and probation workers to strike over plans – BBC News

‘Solicitors and probation officers in England and Wales are staging joint action against changes introduced by the Ministry of Justice.’

Full story

BBC News, 31st March 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Damian Green: new rehabilitation powers for magistrates – Ministry of Justice

Posted March 27th, 2014 in magistrates, press releases, rehabilitation, supervision orders by sally

‘Magistrates will be given new powers as part of the Government’s reforms of rehabilitation.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 25th March 2014

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