If magistrates’ jurisdiction could be increased to a 12-month custodial sentence for a single offence, it would ease the burden on crown courts. The prime minister and the justice secretary have both said that they are anxious to improve the criminal justice system with reference to prosecutions and the time it takes to get offences […]
Backlog of crown court cases denies women justice Read More »
An 18-year-old inmate who lost her baby at Europe\’s largest women\’s prison should never have given birth alone in her cell, according to a critical report from inspectors. The baby died in September 2019 at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman report found a series of failings in the teenager\’s treatment. The
HMP Bronzefield Death: Mother was ‘failed’ says inspectors Read More »
The home secretary, Priti Patel, is facing a growing revolt in parliament and the country over plans to restrict the fundamental right to protest, as controversial legislation that would increase police powers enters the House of Lords this week. More than 350 organisations, including human rights groups, charities and faith bodies, have written to Patel and
Patel faces widening revolt over policing bill’s restrictions on protest Read More »
Police made 63,272 child arrests in England and Wales in 2020 Arrests reduced by 74 per cent since 245,763 were made in 2010 Figures show continued success of Howard League campaign Keeping children out of the criminal justice system helps prevent crime Arrests of children have been reduced by 74 per cent over the last decade, figures reveal today (Monday 23 August) in another
Child arrests reduced by 74% in a decade Read More »
Average sentence lengths for violent and sexual offences in England and Wales fell steeply last year as the Covid pandemic also led to a huge slowdown in the number of people dealt with by the criminal justice system. The average custodial sentence length for violent crimes fell by 22% to 18.5 months and the figure
Sentences for violent crimes fall sharply in England and Wales Read More »
New government data reveals growing use of out of court measures to deal with criminal offences, prompting concerns that they are being deployed to relieve pressure on the justice system. Figures published today show that 164,000 out of court disposals were issued between March 2020 to March 2021, 9% more than the previous year. This
Bar warns of reliance on informal police sanctions Read More »
Coronavirus has had a ‘devastating’ impact on courts and the effect of virtual hearings is still ‘fundamentally unclear’, an influential Lords committee has found. In a comprehensive report published today, the House of Lords constitution committee said the backlog in the criminal courts has reached ‘crisis levels’ and the quality of justice is ‘increasingly at
‘Neither acceptable nor inevitable’: Peers gives verdict on Covid Courts Read More »
HM Inspectorate of Prisons thematic review explores the effects of the restrictions introduced in prisons during 2020 in response to COVID-19. They interviewed men, women and children living on standard residential units who had not been able to attend work or education and had typically spent more than 22 hours a day in their cells
What happens to prisoners in a pandemic? Read More »
The Supreme Court has curbed the Serious Fraud Office’s extra-territorial powers, ruling that it cannot demand documents held outside the UK by a foreign company under the Criminal Justice Act 1987. In KRB v SFO, the Supreme Court found that the SFO overreached itself when it issued a notice under section 2(3) of the Criminal Justice 1987.
Supreme Court clips Serious Fraud Office\’s wings Read More »
Labour is calling for juries to be cut from 12 members to seven, to stem the \”gravest crisis\” in the justice system since World War Two. Shadow justice secretary David Lammy said action was needed to clear the backlog of thousands of cases. He argued that smaller juries and the use of more temporary courts
Controversial Labour Party Proposal to cut jury size from twelve to seven Read More »
