The Prison Service Journal

Its purpose is to “promote discussion on issues related to the work of the Prison Service, the wider criminal justice system and associated fields”. The Journal is published every two months at HMP Leyhill and is sent to every Prison Service establishment in England and Wales. Staff don’t have to… If you are interested in the latest penal research, then the Prison Service Journal should be top of your list. The PSJ (as it is widely known) is a peer reviewed journal published by HM Prison Service of England and Wales....

How technology is affecting County Lines drug dealing

Crest Advisory and Forensic Analytics have just published the latest bulletin from their research project on the role of technology in ‘county lines’ – the name given to drug dealing where urban gangs or organised crime groups (OCGs) move drugs around the country, usually from cities to smaller towns and… Creative uses of new technologies are enabling county lines gangs to stay one step ahead of law enforcement. ...

First women’s community custody unit set to open

The 16-space Bella Centre unit will open on August 1 in Dundee. The building has no bars on the windows, no barbed wire or high walls.  It will include ‘shared house-style’ accommodation with communal living spaces. Women staying there will have responsibility for their own personal care, laundry and housekeeping. … The unit will focus on “custody in the community” where women will be supported to live independently in a form of shared accommodation. ...

Court TV moves one step closer

The Judge passing sentence on Ben Oliver (who pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his grandfather in south London) will, probably, be filmed and the result broadcast on TV and made available online. Judge Sarah Munro QC will decide whether to permit broadcasting of her sentencing remarks this morning and,… Another in a long line of historic events will take place at the Old Bailey today. ...

MPs accuse MoJ of dragging its heels over women in prison

The report starts by setting out the facts and figures about women in prison. Women represent less than 5% of the total prison population. They are often sentenced to custody for non-violent, low-level but persistent offences, and are more likely than men to be sentenced for short periods of time.… The House of Commons Justice Select Committee has raised concerns about the lack of progress in the MoJ's female offender strategy in a report published today....

Arresting the entry of women in the justice system

A new (last Thursday) briefing by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Women in the Penal System (APPG) reveals that arrests of women were reduced by 6 per cent over the course of three years – from 98,902 in 2017-18 to 93,225 in 2020-21. This is the last of four… Work with offenders on a new report from the All Parliamentary Group on Women in the Penal System ...

Government invests in prison and probation drug treatment

When the government published its 10-year drug strategy “From Harm to Hope” last December, many commentators pointed out an usual lack of detail for such a major document with many sections characterised by aspirations and commitments rather than detailed plans. However, this week, we have seen that the Government is… The Ministry of Justice has announced £120 million investment in drug treatment for people in prison and on probation....

Online learning maintains probation service divide, says NAPO Chair

There is a gulf between staff who work for the National Probation Service and those from private sector Community Rehabilitation Companies, according to the chair of National Association of Probation Officers (NAPO). She said that since the reunification of the Probation Service the fact that learning and development offered to… Online learning is preserving the gulf between staff that came from the National Probation Service and those from private CRCs the London Assembly has heard. ...

Parole board holding up under pressure

Yesterday the Parole Board published its Annual Report and Accounts for 2021/22. This is, of course, something which, like many public bodies, it is required by law to do and, most years, the report would be a pretty dull year. However, this has not been a normal year for the… The Parole Board's annual report shines a light on how it has coped during a difficult year...

50% increase in number of ex-offenders finding work quickly

Since April 2021, the percentage of those leaving prison who find employment within six weeks has been gradually increasing. In July 2021, it stood at 10.4 per cent, compared with 15.5 per cent in March of this year.  Meanwhile, cumulative figures show that between July 2021 and March 2022, 3,863… The MoJ has released statistics which show that the number of former offenders finding work within six weeks of release has increased by almost 50% between last July and March of this year. ...