The pros and cons of pre-recorded cross examination

Section 28 (s.28) of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act (YJCEA) 1999 allowed eligible witnesses to pre-record their cross-examination or re-examination before the trial. It was intended that the s.28 recording can be presented during the trial without the witness needing to attend and experience fear or distress about… The Ministry of Justice has today published new research evaluating the use of pre-recorded cross examination (Section 28) for intimidated witnesses....

Procedural justice In probation

The importance of perceptions of procedural justice (PJ) has been well documented in court, policing and prison settings as influencing a multitude of relevant outcomes, including cooperation and compliance with the law, rules and instructions, psychological wellbeing, and recidivism. PJ research in probation settings is, however, still in its infancy.… One of the most heartening findings was that people at the start of their probation period had poorer perceptions than those who were further along,...

Remote hearings have 'no impacts on wider justice outcomes'

Remote hearings have little impact on either the efficiency or the effectiveness of sittings, a new evaluation by the Ministry of Justice has found. Remote participation in court hearings has been an option for years – however, out of necessity, it was during the pandemic that courts saw a rapid… A Ministry of Justice report into the impact of remote hearings on duration and outcomes has found little meaningful differences either in efficiency or effectiveness compared with in-person hearings. ...

An analysis of escalation in the severity of offending behaviour

The study was commissioned to inform risk assessment and management guidance for prison and probation practitioners, and contribute to the future development of actuarial predictors of serious reoffending risk. It revisited a 2002 study on escalation to serious offending to investigate, in an individual’s criminal history, which offences are found… A new study published by the Ministry of Justice identifies the previous offences that were more frequently committed by criminals who ‘escalated’ to very serious offending....

Details of the new criminal justice Bill

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab has today announced a new Victims and Prisoners Bill which aims to “cement victims’ voices at the heart of the justice system” and introduce stricter rules for releasing prisoners on parole. Victims measures The Bill will put the principles of the Victims’ Code on a statutory… The Bill will put the principles of the Victims’ Code on a statutory footing...

Supporting children and young people impacted by domestic abuse

Domestic abuse can have a profound and lasting impact on children and young people who are exposed to it. As a result, it is essential that support services are available to help them cope and recover from the trauma they have experienced. In the UK, there are several organisations and… In the second of a series of articles on domestic abuse Anjum Mouj focuses on the impact that DA has on children ...

Court delays re-traumatise rape and sexual abuse survivors

Entitled “Breaking Point”, the report demonstrates how the victims and survivors of some of the worst crimes imaginable are being made to wait years for their cases to reach court, having court dates postponed – often multiple times – and being kept in the dark about important updates. The report… The charity Rape Crisis has today published a new report on the re-traumatisation of rape and sexual abuse survivors in the Crown Court’s backlog of cases. ...

Black children up to six times more likely to be strip-searched

The Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, has today published the first analysis of strip searches of children conducted by police under their stop and search powers across England and Wales. The data shows the strip-searching of children s is not an isolated problem, limited to London. Across England and… The data shows the strip-searching of children s is not an isolated problem, limited to London....

Sentencers can take into account pressures on prison population

When a person has committed an offence which (often combined with the extent of their criminal history) puts them at risk of imprisonment, a range of factors are considered by the Judge or Magistrates deciding on their sentence. Some of these relate to aggravating or mitigating factors related to the… The issue has been in the news with a Court of Appeal judgment referring to sentencing and the impact of the current, very high prison population. ...

Understanding domestic abuse and coercive control

Domestic abuse and coercive control are serious issues in the UK, affecting people of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Understanding these issues is crucial for identifying and addressing them effectively. Domestic abuse refers to any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening, violent or abusive… In the first of a series of articles for Work with Offenders Anjum Mouj reviews the legislation and characterstics around coercive control behaviour ...