Children in care homes ‘excessively criminalised’ – The Guardian
‘Children living in care homes are “excessively criminalised” compared with other boys and girls, campaigners have said.’
The Guardian, 30th March 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Category: young offenders
Clayton Williams convicted of PC Dave Phillips’s manslaughter – BBC News
‘A car thief has been found guilty of the manslaughter of a policeman by running him over in a stolen pick-up truck during a chase.’
BBC News, 21st March 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Rapist Luke Grender locked up as ‘lenient’ sentence reviewed – BBC News
‘A teenager rapist has had his suspended sentence replaced by a three-year term in a young offenders institution after the case was referred back to the Court of Appeal.’
BBC News, 15th March 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Five-year-old boy investigated for rape in Manchester is one of 70 children under 10 to be accused of sex attacks – The Independent
‘Police have investigated a claim a five-year-old boy raped a 14-year-old girl in Manchester, it has been revealed.’
The Independent, 14th February 2016
Source: www.independent.co.uk
G4S to sell controversial youth jail contracts – The Guardian
‘The private security firm G4S is to sell its UK children’s services business, including its contracts to run two youth prisons, weeks after damning footage emerged of its staff using excessive force on children.’
The Guardian, 26th February 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
New offences and sentencing – Law Society’s Gazette
‘Two further significant provisions of the Serious Crime Act 2015 have been brought into force. First, on 10 November 2015, section 79 created section 40CB of the Prison Act 1952, which provides for an offence of throwing any article or substance into a prison without authorisation.’
Law Society’s Gazette, 22nd February 2016
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Young offenders confined to cells in prison officers’ protest – The Guardian
‘Staff at a young offenders institute are refusing to let 300 prisoners out of their cells following a sharp rise in violence at the facility.’
The Guardian, 17th February 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Youth jails should be replaced by secure schools, finds review – The Guardian
‘The notorious Medway youth jail and other privately run secure training centres and state-run young offender institutions should be replaced by a new network of small “secure schools”, according to the findings of an official review set up by the justice secretary, Michael Gove.’
The Guardian, 9th February 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Update to Sexual offences definitive guideline – Sentencing Council
‘The sentencing guideline on the sentencing of sexual offences has been updated to take account of legislative changes to sections 48, 49, and 50 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. The changes relate to a change in terminology and now use the term “sexual exploitation of a child” to replace references to “child prostitution” and “child pornography”. The changes are on pages 89 to 94 of the guideline.’
Sentencing Council, 5th February 2016
Surge in prison disciplinary hearings ‘feeding vicious cycle’ – The Guardian
‘The number of punishment hearings held inside prisons has risen by 24% in the past year with almost 160,000 extra days – or 438 years – of imprisonment imposed on inmates, according to a report.’
The Guardian, 14th November 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
More offenders being punished for carrying knives, latest figures show – The Guardian
‘The number of offenders punished for carrying a knife has risen by 7% in the last year as the police and courts take a tougher approach, especially to teenage offenders, new figures show.’
The Guardian, 10th December 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Can young adult offenders be diverted into work? – BBC News
‘Some reform groups believe the justice system should treat young adult offenders differently. Could a programme in south London lead the way in terms of their rehabilitation?’
BBC News, 10th December 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Poor quality advocacy is endangering youth justice – Legal Voice
‘Access to justice for young and vulnerable offenders is being endangered by variable advocacy standards amongst lawyers acting in youth court proceedings, a new report claims.’
Legal Voice, 20th November 2015
Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk
Girl becomes first Briton convicted of trying to join fight against Islamic State in Syria – The Guardian
‘A British teenager who made a graveside pledge to devote herself to the PKK cause has been convicted of intending to join the proscribed Kurdish terrorist organisation to fight Islamic State.’
The Guardian, 20th November 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Major new report highlights mixed advocacy standards in youth court proceedings – Bar Standards Board
‘The Youth Proceedings Advocacy Review report, published today as a result of extensive research, highlights the damaging effects that poor advocacy has on access to justice for young and often very vulnerable offenders, and their perceptions of the system in general.’
Bar Standards Board, 19th November 2015
Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk
Prisons inspector welcomes improved restraint systems after deaths of two children – The Guardian
‘The chief inspector of prisons in England and Wales has welcomed “significant improvements” in the handling and restraint of children in custody following the deaths of two boys in 2004.’
The Guardian, 18th November 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Prisoner deaths: Warning over young inmates – BBC News
‘Young people will “continue to die unnecessarily” in jail unless ministers act on recommendations in a report into self-inflicted deaths, its author says.’
BBC News, 29th October 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Norwich Winsor Bishop jewellers scooter raiders jailed – BBC News
‘A gang who stole watches worth more than £30,000 in a raid on a jewellers before making off on scooters have been jailed.’
BBC News, 6th October 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Anzac Day terror plot: Blackburn boy sentenced to life – BBC News
‘A 15-year-old British boy who plotted to behead police officers at an Anzac Day parade in Australia has been sentenced to life.’
BBC News, 2nd October 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Cookham Wood: chief prisons inspector finds ‘systemic problems’ – The Guardian
‘A high level of violence inside Cookham Wood youth jail, including 61 assaults and 92 fights within just six months, reflects systemic problems in young offenders institutions across England, prison inspectors have warned.’
The Guardian, 22nd September 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
