Post-jail help ‘may save £80m’ – BBC News
“About £80m a year could be saved by providing better support for young offenders leaving jail, a report says.”
BBC News, 15th August 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: young offenders
R (JL (by the Official Solicitor as litigation friend)) v. Secretary of State for the Home Department – WLR Daily
“Where there had been a death or near death in custody the state was obliged to conduct an enhanced investigation commenced by a person independent of those implicated in the facts. If the investigator found that the state or its agents potentially bore responsibility and that it was not plain that they could bear no responsibility it would be necessary to hold a further inquiry in the nature of a public hearing in which the next of kin or injured person could play a part.”
WLR Daily, 24th July 2007
Source: www.lawreports.co.uk
Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.
Youth crime board is failing to meet targets, says report – The Guardian
“The Youth Justice Board, set up seven years ago by Labour to cut juvenile crime, has failed to hit any of its key performance targets in the past 12 months, according to its annual report.”
The Guardian, 2nd August 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Three jailed for forcing man to fall 100ft to his death – The Guardian
“A 17-year-old girl and her boyfriend were jailed yesterday for torturing a friend with severe learning difficulties before forcing him to fall to his death from a 100ft railway viaduct.”
The Guardian, 31st July 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Kiyan’s killer given life sentence – The Guardian
“A teenager has been sentenced to at least 13 years in prison for the murder of the promising young footballer Kiyan Prince, who was stabbed to death outside his school gates.”
The Guardian, 26th July 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Youth crime targets missed – Daily Telegraph
“Increases in arrests of young people for petty crimes and anti-social behaviour have undermined Government efforts to reduce the number of youths entering the criminal justice system, according to a report.”
Daily Telegraph, 25th July 2007
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Criminals have 40 chances to flout the rules – Daily Telegraph
“Young criminals placed on the Government’s flagship community punishment scheme could break the rules more than 40 times before being sent back to court, it has been disclosed.”
Daily Telegraph, 23rd July 2007
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Coroner tells Straw to act now on restraint in child prisons – The Guardian
“The coroner who presided over the inquest into the death of a 15-year-old who died after being restrained in a child jail has warned the justice secretary, Jack Straw, that it would be ‘wholly unforgivable’ if the lessons were delayed by a general review of the use of restraint announced yesterday.”
The Guardian, 19th July 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Child jail gets new head amid unease over use of restraint – The Guardian
“A quarter of young offenders at a troubled privately run child jail have been moved out and a new director appointed after official concern over the rising use of restraint by staff to control violent teenagers.”
The Guardian, 13th July 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Damilola killers lose appeal – Daily Telegraph
“Two teenage brothers convicted of the manslaughter of schoolboy Damilola Taylor have lost appeals against their sentences of eight years’ detention.”
Daily Telegraph, 4th July 2007
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Use of restraint blamed for prison death of boy, 15 – The Guardian
“The death of Gareth Myatt, a teenager who choked and died while being restrained by three guards at a privately-run youth prison, could have been prevented, an inquest jury found yesterday.”
The Guardian, 29th June 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Former youth justice chief attacks rule change on restraint – The Guardian
“The senior civil servant who drew up the rules on restraining teenagers in child jails has strongly criticised ministers for making changes which will allow private security staff to inflict pain on children who refuse to go to bed or be quiet.”
The Guardian, 22nd June 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Children’s jail staff given wider powers of restraint – The Guardian
“The rules governing the use of restraint techniques based on inflicting pain in privately-run children’s jails are to be widened to allow staff to use them to enforce everyday discipline, the Ministry of Justice confirmed yesterday.”
The Guardian, 19th June 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘What gives them the right to hit a child in the nose?’ – The Guardian
“At 14, Adam Rickwood became the youngest person to die in custody. This week, an inquest left more questions than answers.”
The Guardian, 2nd June 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Rethink use of restraint on young offenders, urges coroner – The Guardian
“A coroner called yesterday for an urgent review of the use of restraint on young offenders after a jury returned a suicide verdict on a vulnerable 14-year-old who hanged himself with his shoelaces at a privately-run secure unit.”
The Guardian, 1st June 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘Raise the criminal age to 18’ – Daily Telegraph
“The age of criminal responsibility should be raised from 10 to as high as 18, a report says today.”
Daily Telegraph, 17th May 2007
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Related link: Debating youth justice: from punishment to problem solving (PDF)
JPs ‘ignore advice of experts’ – The Times
“Magistrates’ decisions are made on the basis of stereotypes, and ignore advice from experts, research says.”
The Times, 15th May 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Private van guards to assess whether young are tough enough for adult jails – The Guardian
“Private security staff who operate prison vans will decide from today whether young adults awaiting trial in London are mentally strong enough to survive in the toughest prisons.”
The Guardian, 30th April 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Gang culture ‘death and devastation’ must end, says judge – The Guardian
“The ‘death and devastation’ resulting from Britain’s gang and knife culture was condemned by a senior judge yesterday as he jailed a teenager for the murder of a street rival. Judge Gerald Gordon told the Old Bailey that there must be an end to families being torn apart by youth violence, often prompted by trivial disputes.”
The Guardian, 28th April 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Senior judge hits out at knife culture – Reuters
“A senior judge has criticised the growing knife culture for causing ‘death and devastation’ as he sentenced a teenager for the fatal stabbing of a 15-year-old boy on a south London estate.”
Reuters, 27th April 2007
Source: www.reuters.com
