A major overhaul of the police complaints system in England and Wales begins on Monday with the launch of a new watchdog. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is being replaced by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) as part of a shake-up announced by Theresa May as home secretary. Ministers say the changes… Continue Reading
What Do Legal Aid Changes To Prison Law Mean?
Nine months after the Court of Appeal ruled government cuts to legal aid for prisoners were unlawful the Ministry of Justice has confirmed that, from 21st February 2018, criminal legal aid will be extended to the three areas identified by the Court of Appeal as failing the fairness test without legal representation – and the… Continue Reading
HMP SWANSEA: “Grudging acceptance of change or passive resistance will not suffice” to address complacency and inexcusable safer custody failures, says Chief Inspector
Background: In the three years since the last inspection of HMP Swansea in October 2014, when a total of 58 recommendations were made, just 8 had been implemented by the time of this inspection. An Implementation rate of just 14%. Safety: 17 recommendations made, 2 implemented. Respect: 20 recommendations made, 5 implemented. Purposeful Activity: 11… Continue Reading
Number of female prisoners released into homelessness soars
The number of women released from prison into homelessness has more than doubled over the past year, new figures have revealed. Information obtained by Labour showed that 227 female offenders were recorded as being homeless by the Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) in the second quarter of 2017, compared with 103 a year earlier. In total, almost a… Continue Reading
£200,000 Paid Out In 2016-2017 Prison Lost Property Claims
Prisoners have received hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation for lost or damaged property, new figures reveal. More than 10,000 taxpayer-funded payouts have been made since 2013 for items including a dressing gown, hair clippers and trainers. In total, more than £850,000 was awarded over the last four years, statistics obtained by the Press… Continue Reading
Unwise Men Fall For Police Force’s Christmas Con
A cunning Christmas ruse by police that tricked wanted criminals into handing themselves in with the false promise of a free Christmas hamper has been hailed a success. Detectives from South Yorkshire Police launched covert Operation Holly in a bid to put people facing charges for offences, some serious, before the courts. The team sent… Continue Reading
Royal Met Cop Avoids Jail After Posing Online As 17 year Old Girl
A shamed royal police officer has avoided jail after he stole a dead woman’s pictures to pose online as a 17-year-old girl “for kicks”. Pc Adam Cox, 31, was working in Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection when he created an alter ego called Emily Whitehouse to exchange explicit chat with three men online. After being asked… Continue Reading
Winchester Prison: “Teetering on The Edge of Major Incident” Warns Watchdog
The situation at a prison is “fragile” with a prevailing sense that it is “teetering on the edge of a major incident”, a report has warned. It said a lack of staff at HMP Winchester has resulted in a “steady deterioration” of the environment and a “noticeable rise in tension”. There has been an increase in self-harm,… Continue Reading
Suicide Figures ‘A Damning Indictment’ of the State of Prisons Warn MPs
“Mental health figures of prisoners are ’20 years out of date” Appalling levels of suicide and self-harm behind bars are a “damning indictment” of the state of prisons, a Commons committee has warned. In a highly critical assessment, MPs argued there are “deep-rooted failures” in the management of prisoners’ mental well-being. The deteriorating prison estate… Continue Reading
HMP DARTMOOR – Prison with 70% sex offenders: “Shocking Failings in Public Protection” says Chief Inspector
Dartmoor, one of Britain’s oldest jails and home to hundreds of sex offenders, needs help from the prison service to improve “shocking” failings in its work to protect the public from the risk posed by men it releases, according to a report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons. The number of sex offenders had doubled over… Continue Reading
