Prisons a major challenge to new Justice team

Prisons in England and Wales are struggling to provide safe, humane and rehabilitative regimes, due to the aftermath of the severe Covid restrictions, current staffing problems and other pressures, say the independent monitoring boards (IMBs) in their national annual report, published today. What are Independent Monitoring Boards? Independent Monitoring Boards… The national annual report from Independent Monitoring Boards records an ‘exceptionally challenging year’ in prisons....

Tagging to be expanded to include those on short sentences

Over recent months we have covered the issue of the electronic tagging of offenders on a number of occasions as the Ministry of Justice has followed through with its commitment to expand the use of tags. There are now a number of different tags in place: the basic tag used… The number of offenders being monitored with tags is growing driven by extensions to new offender cohorts, such as those subject to immigration bail, as well as the roll-out of alcohol monitoring tags....

Offenders in probation hostels to face compulsory drug testing

While probation requirements can include certain drug testing requirements – the MoJ has now said that anyone staying in probation hostels will be randomly tested for 14 different types of drugs twice during their stay. Meanwhile, those who do already have drug testing requirements will be tested more frequently –… Offenders who stay in probation hostels or Approved Premises will now be subject to mandatory drug testing regardless of the offence(s) they committed or their previous drug history. ...

Sentencing historic offenders

The principal reason for the rapid growth in the number of sex offenders in our prisons over the last 10 to 15 years has been the prosecution of large numbers of perpetrators arrested for historic offences. Probably the best known example is Operation Yewtree, the police investigation into historic sexual… Sentencing historic offenders is notoriously difficult because it involves an interplay between old and new sentencing regimes. A new report sheds light on the issue. ...

Probation not learning from serious further offences

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation has just published its first annual report looking at the quality of Serious Further Offence (SFO) reviews undertaken by the Probation Service after people on probation commit a serious violent or sexual offence while under supervision. These reviews, conducted by the Probation Service, aim to… Too many Serious Further Offence reviews are falling below par, with services not sufficiently identifying the necessary learning according to a new report ...

MPs call for the end of the IPP sentence

IPP sentences were introduced to prevent serious offenders being released when still a danger to the public. Despite being scrapped in 2012, nearly 3,000 people remain in prison having been given an IPP sentence. In some cases, individuals have been imprisoned a decade beyond the tariff for their original sentence… In a strongly worded report published today, the Justice Committee has called on the Government to re-sentence all prisoners subject to IPP sentences. ...

The impact of the justice system on children with special needs

A new briefing from the Centre for Justice Innovation (CJI) highlights the damaging impact on children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) who come in contact with the criminal justice system. Recent Government statistics reveal that 80% of cautioned or sentenced children had received a diagnosis of some level… Recent Government statistics reveal that 80% of cautioned or sentenced children had received a diagnosis of some level of Special Educational Need....

Increase in football violence: the figures

There were 2,198 arrests, a big jump on the number from three seasons previously, the most recent realistic comparison since the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons were significantly impacted by the pandemic restrictions meaning that crowds were much lower – or even non-existent. This is significant because there had been a… Yesterday the Home Office published its annual statistics on football related arrests and banning orders for the 2021-2022 season. ...

“Dysfunctional” custody system failing girls

The national youth custody system is failing to provide very vulnerable girls with the environment and support they need, according to a joint thematic inspection by HM Inspectorate of Prisons, HM Inspectorate of Probation, Ofsted, Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) published today. Inspectors spoke to girls… At the time of the inspection, there were just 14 girls in custody across the whole of England and Wales...

Changing Tunes – the rehabilitative power of music

This is the tenth article in our occasional series on key independent organisations operating within the criminal justice sector which profiles the work of the charity Changing Tunes. About the charity Changing Tunes was formed in the early 1987 with the mission to use music to help people in contact… We profile a charity that uses music to help people in the criminal justice system to turn their lives around ...