All IPP Prisoners over tariff will be aimed at release for 2017 . The aim is to eradicate this backlog by the end of next year (December 2017) there should be no one in prison there purely because their hearing is delayed.

IPP Prisoners Familys Campaign

Justice for IPP Prisoners

TUESDAY , 9 August 2016

All IPP Prisoners over tariff will be aimed at release for 2017.  The aim is to eradicate this backlog by the end of next year (December 2017) there should be no one in person there purely because their hearing is delayed.

As you may be aware I had received an invitation by Chair, Mr Nick Hardwick and Martin Jones, Chief of the Parole Board on 9^th August 2016 to discuss the issues arising around IPP Prisoners.  To give a diverse prospective, Ms Ann Horton and Mr Mike Ford accompanied me.  On the day was a 38 Degrees vigil outside, enabling the families to hand any further documentation.

An update on that meeting discussed were various issues and observations which we deliberated areas of change in the Prison System, Parole and Probation.

The Parole Board will soon be able to deal with recalled Prisoners on the basis of paper, so that should reduce the length of time spent in Prison after recall, especially if the recall was for something minor.  The Board are aware that sometimes Prisoners get recalled too often when it would have been much more sensible and appropriate to give them a warning instead.  How people are recall the changes for those with specific Learning Difficulties/Disabilities.

Reduce the number of IPP Prisoners to about 1500 by 2020.  This is of course not a great improvement on the current rate, but it was hinted in the meeting there is money available to increase the number of PB member, which means that the rate of release could potentially be increased.  Any further speeding up of release must come via Government.

Both showed a good understanding of a commonsense approach to released – not taking what is written about a Prisoner as the Gospel truth and not expecting IPP Prisoners to behave like Angels all the time.  It would be good to know if this is being passed on to all PB members.

Overall there are more than 2000 hearings in the PB’s backlog (not just IPP Prisoners).  This should be cleared by the end of 2016, and again IPP Prisoners will be prioritised for this.  All going well.

The aim is to have got rid of the backlog of hearings for over – tariff IPP by the end of 2017, so that nobody is in Prison just because they are waiting for a hearing.

The Change in the release test Lasbo 128 is not a matter for Parole but a change in Law.  Liz Truss most do the right thing and change the release test save us all the agonising Mental torture waiting for any future targets to met.  Finalising our meeting I demanded a date.

The letter event set up with 38 degrees and advertised by the Inside Times was a great successes I received hundreds of letters from IPP Prisoners and their families.  We handed the letters and 25,097 signatures from the 38 Degrees petition.

Nick Hardwick and Martin Jones, both felt a great need to deal with the IPP Prisoners over the tariff and in the next couple of weeks they will be making planes various it a long time coming but we have something positive.  I would like to thank both Nick Hardwick and Martin Jones, the IPPs Prisoners / families for all their correspondence, 38 Degrees, Inside Times and all others…

IPP Prisoners campaign and 38 Degrees will continue until we get them all home.

The minutes of the agreement from The Parole Board are at the bottom of the page

I forward my brief before the meeting addressing Key Issues and Observation a snap shot being:

Courses

• There was frustration at the knock backs given in previous Parole Board hearings and how new targets being set, for example at 6-7 years over tariff only now are PIPE or TC courses being mentioned which would involve a further 2-3 years inside and interventions to address previous offences are being given e.g. Drug Courses.  It felt an impossible task to prove they would not be a risk in the future.

• Prisoner stated 2 years in to his sentence he was offered a course 5 years into sentence.

• Numbers are repeating courses over and over they don’t seem to have an real sentence plan.

• Reported cancelled courses no courses and waiting times.

• Numbers of Prisoner reported been on Sex Offender’s courses though not a sex offender.

Reports and Applications

• Prisoners and family’s reports of inadequate reports arguable clerical errors and misleading reports cover up.  Staff failing to summating application and records going missing.

• Conflict of information for instance one Prisoner was refused a Psychologist Assessment in 2014-2015 as not needing one.  At his Parole hearing in August 2016 it was differed for that very reason not seeing a Psychologist for an Assessment.  Negative reports for those with barriers.

Parole hearings

• One Prisoner hearing was deferred because the Offender’s Manager failed to turn up.  There has been hearings deferred for Paper Reviews and because Reports were not ready.  Cancelled hearing for Oral Hearings.

• Family reported not being invited to Parole Board hearing contrary to what they say.

• Prisoner and Disability’s such as Dyspraxia, Autism or other not being given appropriate assistance while speaking at a Parole Hearing and the necessary interpreters.

• Prisoners not doing so well drugged up on the medication attending Parole Hearing.

Release IPP Prisoner they are no more a risk than any other Prisoner you let out every single day.

Offender Managers

• It has been stated Offender Managers are overloaded and don’t have a meaningful relationship with Prisoners but still Probation way heavily on them.  It is a fact that Prisoner entering Prison are informed you would not get Parole as the resources were not available and expect to do double the time.

• Offender Managers should act like agents getting you employment.  If you fail a program, he will tell you, he will look at your case in 3 months, if they do well tell them you’re moving them forward.  Not to have a wait a year for failing.

Psychologists

• Those with Neurological disabilities attending Psychologist assessments alone without accurate accommodations.  Trainee Psychologist doesn’t make you qualified.  Trainee Psychologist should only be used when accompanied by a qualified psychologist.  Questionable are Prisons using trained Psychologists trained for those with disabilities such as Dyspraxia, Autism or other disabilities.

• When attending Psychologist assessment makes heavy demands on Language skills – both receptive and expressive – and requires ability to process information reasonably quickly and efficiently.  Reliable memory, sequencing abilities and concentration are also necessary.  All these areas fall within the profiles associated with Specific Learning Difficulties.

• Those with behaviour might be perceived inconsistent in what they are saying would imply untruthfulness; failure to grasp the point of a question could come across as evasive; lack of eye contact could be mis-interpreted as being ‘shifty’ and an over-loud voice might be regarded as aggressive.  They may have difficulty coping with oblique, implied and compound questions.  An experience of sensory overload from the lights, bustle and distractions.  The overriding worry was that a loss of credibility would occur when they not ‘perform’ as expected.

• You would think that Prisoners would want to inform all concerned, however One Prisoner has said, “I want to do down that road because it is well documented that you spend longer in Prison, in fact double the time than person without a disability.

• Prison Psychologist are not taking into account near enough if at all what a Prisoner has achieved over a year such as the hard work good behaviour and  the courses covered.

I would like to see Independent Psychologist used and Trainee Psychologist band.

Legal Aid

• Legal Aid has been restricted in various aspects of the Law such as Negligence, Recall on false claim, Remand Hearings and License.  Those waiting to rid or Appeal a Judgment on the 10 years license will be unable to and we don’t want to go through any more nightmare.

• A family documented that their Son has barriers attended a Parole Hearings without representation couldn’t even manage his hygiene.  No Legal Aid.

• Family and Prisoners finding it difficult to find Legal Aid Solicitors.  Those on Remand are waiting for No Win No Fee.  The firms don’t return your letters or calls once they know you’re an IPP Prisoner.

MPs and Lords

• Numbers of them ignoring family’s those that do reply sent the same template letters.

• When you phone up to get help from your MP on difficulty to do with Prison or a concerns on suicide attempt…the families are informed that Prisoner must contact their own MP.  Numbers are unable to articulate or are to depressed to get the required help for themselves.

• Prisoners are often moved around and don’t know who their MP is.

• Family who have written letters to the Lord are fogged off with, “I would get representation.”  There is no Legal Aid.

Despair, caused by the fact that thousands of vulnerable people have been denied access to Legal Aid and leaving them open to Abuse and Injustice.

Despair, knowing that new Legal Aid cuts will discriminate against many, more.

Finally, despair and panic because of the lasting damage such measures were likely to leave behind.

10 year Licence conditions removed or relaxed

• No need for further torture an for what they have already gone through.

• To bare in my there is No Legal Aid.

• Prisoners are recalled on an accusations leading to abuse.  1 Prisoner documented has been recalled 3 times not for re-offending he has gone past the 28 day recall now waiting on demand, and finding difficult to find a Solicitor to represent him.

• Recall does not fit all.  Probations officers “lack of training and understanding on the impact of specific Learning difficulties.  It is in possible to following the cut and thrust of changes and difficulties giving accurate answers relating to dates, times or pace, unable to articulate oneself, problems providing consistent information on sequences of actions.  Inability to find the place in a mass of documentation, as directed, coping with every day issues, behaviour and inconsistency.  A 99 years sentence could see a person back time and time again.  You are more often recalled for a rule break not because you have committed an offence?  There is too much too much malpractice.

• The license conditions fragment family often the Prisoner is moved away from the town and extend family and friends with little money or a job, unable to afford to make calls and there are no public phones left.  Build a life you don’t know people your unable to use the internet to look for work or contact any friends.  Most documented have very little chance of getting a job.  Once you tell the employer you’re a Lifer for instance, ABH automatically you’re looked with suspicion as though you must have committed a more serious crime to get life.  If an employer were to take you on they would have to take our extra and inform all employees.  Much of the ex-Prisoners money taken for travel expenses going back and forth looking for work, which they find difficult because of their conviction.  If you don’t turn up to look for work at a Job Centre, your unlikely to get sanctioned and lose all benefits.  Visiting a Parole officer each week, your left with no money to get to your next Parole date.  This process leads finally to recall, poverty, homeless and Mental Health.  The strict license conditions, the individual has to abide by for the rest of their life – further conditions being a snap shot: - Not being able to spend the night anywhere apart from his home. – Having to notify his Probation office anytime you’re a passenger in a car unable to live in your own town.  Unable to get Car Insurance, Bank Account difficulties.  Restricted from family.  Not being able to go on holiday conditions are very restrictive and I believe impairs on his right to a family life.

• “Remove the tick box of Criminal convictions give them a chance”.

Recall / Probation / Disability’s

• Probation needs to have better structure in place, working and supporting a Prisoner.  A prisoner called 3 times for not offence related must tell you something and it must be questioned.

• The processes of being recalled is said to long but it in fact to easy there is no Legal Aid for malpractice.  Many being recalled for non-offences Parole officers seem to work a system discretion which can be abused if your face does not fit and depending if you like them.  I don’t see a “fair system in place.  Neurological differences don’t go away they are always poor recall memory and repeated inconsistency, not knowing what day what time when the appointments even if reminded and it will happen over and over and cannot be helped.  Reasonable adjustments so that you are able to fully participate during the visit or hearing.

You are entitled to be assist you throughout the because of poor memory, poor processing, visual-spatial, organisation, receptive and expressive language, phonology, attention.  Hearing impairment auditory processing disorders known as brain deafness different from a hearing deafness, complex process – picking up sound and attaching meaning to it these mention are a snap shot.  If your unaware a person has a hidden disability often leads to abuses, and spending double or triple time in Prison, this is well documented.

• Recall leads to Prisons overcrowding an expense to the taxpayer.

• Mental problems.

• No Legal Aid for wrongful allegations that lead to one being recall.  It’s a recall washing machine at a high rate.  Hundreds of IPP Prisoners with the 99 years sentence with face the plight of RECALL one way or another, the vulnerable and parents unable to pay the cost to Appeal.

• WE NEED URGENT ACTION to prevent future deaths.

Reverse recalls to go before a Judge who can weigh up the facts before enacted accept in the case of re-offending.  This will be a fairer system for all.  Probation often Recalls those with disabilities.  Relax Recall for those with neurological differences 25% leeway, and those with non-disability for non-crime offences.

  

The minutes of the agreement from the Parole Board

IPP Prisoner Families Campaign Group Meeting

9^th August 2016

          Venue: The Ministry of Justice

Attendees:

Nick Hardwick, Chairman - Parole Board

Martin Jones, Chief Executive - Parole Board

Naomi Chappell, Stakeholder Relations Officer – Parole Board

Katherine Gleeson, IPP Lobby Group

Ann Horton, IPP Lobby Group

Michael Ford, IPP Lobby Group

(a)       Main points raised:

Concern that the Parole Board relies on Courses too much and yet they are not widely available in all Prisons; and they are not suitable for everyone (e.g. those with Learning difficulties).

Parole Board Comment:

Parole Board explained:  We advocate a common sense approach to hearing cases.

Parole Board members are thoroughly and regularly trained and are aware that there is a shortage of courses/places on courses.

We work with NOMS interventions closely and meet quarterly so that we are updated on the current position regarding accredited programmes where these are available, and their impact on risk reduction.

Risk Assessments are based on information other than attendance on Programmes such as pattern of Offending Behaviour and previous convictions, seriousness of Offending Behaviour, likelihood based on past frequency, existence of protective factors (e.g. family, employment), overall compliance and motivation to change, impact of any future offending and imminence (how likely or how soon might they offend again).

Agreed that support from families and being with them on the outside can be more beneficial to some Prisoners for making progress.

(b)       Raised the issues with:

Foreign Nationals in the United Kingdom Prison system.  Home Office will not make a decision on Immigration until the are due to be released, yet the Parole Board seems to not recommend Foreign National offenders for open release because of their immigration status.

Parole Board Comment:

Parole Board explained:  We will check our Guidance to members on Foreign National prisoners and ensure it is clear – members do recommend a transfer to open conditions for some FNP Prisoners, but this is only where they are assessed as very low risk.  (This is linked to a potential increased risk of abscond by an FNP). 

The Parole Board does need to know the immigration status as this can impact on release arrangements (if the offender is to be deported, the Parole Board has no jurisdiction on setting supervision arrangements, except for certain cases in Scotland and Northern Ireland).

However, where the immigration status is unclear, the Parole Board will seek clarification before making a decision.  There is also sometimes the added dimension of the FNP seeking asylum, with the decision pending, which can impact on any deportation notice.

2.         What is the current backlog at the Parole Board (PB)?

Parole Board Comment:

Parole Board explained:  Currently c2350 cases outstanding (this is all types of cases, not just IPPs and includes cases where the Prisoner has actually asked for a delay, for example to complete a Course before having their Parole Review).

The aim is to eradicate this backlog by the end of the next year (December 2017).  This is being addressed by recruiting more members and listing more cases to be heard at Oral Hearings.

So by December 2017 there should be no on in Prison there purely because their hearing is delayed.

Will IPP Prisoners be prioritised when clearing the backlog of cases?

Parole Board Comment:

Parole Board explained:  Those on short tariffs who have been in Prison for years longer than their tariff will be prioritised; we will also seek to prioritise cases where there is a prospect of progression.

By 2020 we expect the number of IPP Prisoners still in custody to be down to 1500.  If the Ministers in Parliament wish the backlog to be reduced quicker or at a greater rate, then they will need to take action or change Legislation accordingly.

What about releasing those not in the backlog?

Parole Board Comment:

Parole Board explained:  Last year (2015) the Parole Board heard over 7,100 cases at Oral Hearings.  When the backlog is cleared with the Parole Board, will still be hearing around 6,000 cases a year at Oral Hearings.

This would mean more timely Reviews if Prisoners are not successful in their current Review.

What influence does the Parole Board have on Recalls?

Parole Board Comment:

Parole Board explained:  The Parole Board has no say in whether an offender is Recalled from the Community to Prison, as this is a NOMS responsibility), but will try to process a Prisoner’s Review case as quickly as possible, once it has received the referral (all IPP recalls are referred to the Parole Board).

From Autumn 2016, it is expected that the Parole Board will be able to release IPPs recalled to custody on the papers (using this in appropriate cases would reduce the need for an Oral Hearing, which should speed up the process and prevent further backlog).

3.         How quickly is a release actioned after the decision is made at a Parole Board hearing?

Parole Board Comment:

Parole Board explained: The Parole Board panel Chair has 14 days from the date of the Oral Hearing to provide the written decision to the Prisoner.  The release date can be anything from immediate release to a future date a few weeks ahead (perhaps while accommodation is found).  There were some complex cases where the arrangements might take longer (e.g. where a Prisoner has Social Care needs and a Care Plan has to be agreed and finalised).  Release arrangements are managed by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS).

The Parole Board thanked Katherine Gleeson, Michael Ford, Ann Horton for meeting them and stressed that as an Independent Court like body it was absolutely committed to ensuring that Prisoners were treated fairly, and released as soon as it was safe to do so.

The Parole Board did however stress that there was a small proportion of IPP Prisoners whose risk would not be manageable in the Community, and would, rightly be held in custody for the Protection of the Public.

Nick Hardwick issued a statement about IPP on 26^th July 2016 which is published on the Parole Board website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/statement-on-ipp-prisoners-from-parole-boardchairman

Comments:

Robinson

Just like to thank every1 that has helped with the ipp. But this meeting that was with the parole board was basicly full of hot air if u read the minutes on the ipp blog site it states that their are still prisoners that they won't let out because their risk can NOT be managed so every1 still needs to put pressure on the M.P's I've got friends and family that r high risk I just know they will be one of the 1500 by the year 2020 will one of urs be that 1500 by 2020 u have to ask ur self that I see this now as like a lottery come every1 they say if u don't by a ticket u can't take part r u gonna get that ticket for ur ipp. Everyone need to stand up and tell the government that we not playing this lottery game as we want them all out. Their are ….ppl on this group surely more than a hand full can comment to get the ball rolling to get ppl out side their local jails come everyone this needs to be done and just maybe!! Maybe it will get them to pull their fingers out of the golden shit rings and change the release test come on everybody just like this post if u want to do this on the

Owen Perceived risk strikes again. The parole board are being blinded by probations psychobabble. Where is Mistic Meg to defend their nonsense. Urrrrrr

Chaddock My bro is ipp done ten year on a 1 day 22 tariff he was released the. Recalled on suspicion of smoking spice probation told me is oral hearing is between November and may joke MPs do nowt mate.That's why we don't go quietly mate we keep on and on at them

Spot on they're full of it! It's a shut up and go quietly ploy, nothing will change! But Yeh big thanks to Katherine definitely for all her effort and patience listening to it x

its a joke they don't care about anyone but them selfs and their own little circles and we r not in their circles

Zing I was released high risk.Reoffending in hmp welligborough was 300 violent incidents in popularion of 90 rate is 300%. In uk crimes against person (not all violent) 6.3 million (10% rate) the rate inside is 30 times more, if u can be managed inside for 2 years without getting done for violence, they need to release you

Laila

Mine is low risk it don't make sense.Mine is over his tariff 2years now and has no more courses and waiting for his next parole which is next year September

Yeah same as mine I hope this isn't fault hope.. I pray it over and they come home.

 He is my other half I swear it made me cry I can't believe they can do this to people life's

Yes it horrible hun there is no hope for them its wrong my ex got an ipp 10 minth tariff for settig alight to empty cars when he was drunk now thy gave him ipp cos they said hes a risk thats what ipp is fornbut if thats thr case giving someone 10 month tariff is not saying here is a dangerous person thete wankers he didn't deserve an ipp its wrong.Omg I hope so.. My Oh called today telling that one of his mates that also an ipp and he over tariff 11years he was crying so much to him saying that I give up and don't wanna live no more that he don't wanna live no more it got to me so much it bring a tear to my eyes

Brackenbury

To me now it's that simple, either give ipps release dates, if not EVERY PRISONER serving ANY sentence should have to prove they are safe and changed before being released, ONE RULE FOR ALL!! you have to ready it properly hun, everybody first thought it meant all post tariffs will be home by end of 2017 that's not what it means 😞 it means post tariffs who are waiting on a hearing will have had one by then if they've been delayed, they're never gonna just release them, we all wish that was true xx Hate to sound a bitch with criticism but I can't believe a word that come out of anyone's mouth in government until I see it happening, I can see this as being nothing more than empty promises to shut everyone up for a bit, I pray I'm proved wrong! But why can this info not be found on any government or parole board sites 😕 just being rightly cautious.

No it actually means nothing other than if you're waiting on a hearing it is supposed to be completed by Dec 2017 as I thought it means nothing for those being treated unfairly ie being made to do pointless courses!  I'm confused, does this mean Iver tariffs will be out 2017 regardless of if they're in middle of a course etc?? And is this all in writing from nick hardwick himself as we all know how they like to change their story!? To me the only one thing I can think if is we all, every single one of us need to write a detailed letter if everything and I mean everything that we and our ipp prisoners have gone through/still going through and still have to face! And send them to nick Hardwick and liz truss, not an email a letter, preferably signed for x

Fullalove The government really don't see it how we do, if it was there own doing this dreadful sentence then we would see a difference

Mccarthy I want to know the same questions x

Staunton I think it means that no one will have to wait for there parole hearing

Leigh My kids dad got a 10 month tariff hes now been in nearly 10 years so i hooe for my kids sake hes out hy next year he will be one of the first if they do this x

 Ward my sons next parole is next September is parole is every 2 years

Ward will my son is 10 years over is tariff now .It would be nice to see all the ipps out for Christmas this yeartell your son to tel is mate to keep is head up and that thay will be out soon xxx

And there time will come it cant carry on my son was not eben born e
When hes dad went in hes now 9 so it wud be good tonhave his dad out here my othrt 2 they were 2 1/2 and 12 minths when he went in.

I hope your man comes home to his family and live in peace together

Shell Leigh Thx we aint togeva no more but i want him to be there for his kids and same to u hun .Yes thats wjat i told my ex me and my ex aint togeva due to spice ibhad phonr calls aftwr phonecalls for money etc hebjad chances and warned him and itbjust got to much i split witj him nearly 3 months ago and nownhea changed and stopped doing it but we r jusy friends now.x

 Laila I hope I really do they have let them home it got to so much it broke my heart to another level cos he also said that they taking spices and he said they are mentality gone it's not fair... I hear it his voice how much it affected him to see this he also an Ipp and I said pls never do that never give up...hope to carry on cos yes they are loosing hope. 😢

Yea exactly mine won't do it he said I won't ever do it cos he said I've seen what it does to then and he don't wanna be like that.. So I hope he stops for good for his kids sake hun.. At least u are still friends and it's made him change xxx

Abbott All this breaks my heart reading the comments on ipps,it's an absolute disgrace to this so called justice system what it is doing to families and there loved ones over tariff,I do hope you all see a positive change in the very near future,bless you all xx

 Cooke We need to focus our actions on this now. Nick Hardwicke can only do so much. We need to get a meeting with Liz Truss and persuade her that this would need the right thing to do. Does anyone have her as their MP? I am meeting my MP on 9th September and one thing I'm asking for is if he can get me a meeting with her.

By this I mean changing the release test. Well done to Katherine and Ann for all their hard work.We need to focus our actions on this now. Nick Hardwicke can only do so much. We need to get a meeting with Liz Truss and persuade her that this would need the right thing to do. Does anyone have her as their MP? I am meeting my MP on 9th September and one thing I'm asking for is if he can get me a meeting with her.

Mcluckie 2017 inmates to b released will b looked at as in those that have been recalled an the rest mayb the ones that get released in 2020 will be the likes of our loved ones.

I dont think there is anymore we can do then we have done apart from stay on their bk now an put pressure on them to make this work in our loved ones favour an once out we can have a a big meeting an party in hyde park to celebrate their release .
How long they got I have 10 yrs worth of problems that my son alone has been through it will prob take another 20 to get through my complaints hah but all jokes aside im willing to write to them an tell them everything his been through an how he has coped this long beats me cos if I was in his situation I wouldn't have been there by now so I have to prase my son for getting this far. well done hun ur a total star i just said to my other half that every medium reading i have had over the past few yrs i have been told by ALL that i will get my son home in the month of December but could NEVER give me a yr so this is sounding a lil positive for me his his also almost 6 yrs over his tariff, so KATHRINE GLEESON I LOV U for all the POSITIVE u give us xxx hope u have a wonderful wkend i know i surely will now ive seen this xxx

Thing is i dont believe a word they say, they will say anything to shut us up, Seems to me they are now trying to split up ipp prisoners in 3 different catergories,over tariffs,low risks and completed the full sentence,And obviouxly the ones who they class are still a Danger to the public, NO They tarred all ipp prisoners with the same Brush to begin with, to give them ipp in the first place, so they are all the same ipp prisoners, They need to stop chatting shit, And change the release test and Prove they are still a danger to the public, or Release them now.

  Joanne Staunton It feels like it's never going to end .All they need is a date !!Our lives are up & down all the time Just give us a date to look forward to

Pettit They so need to consider the upset and stress this causes for us all.How do they expect us to get on with our lives when there is this need to keep on their tails about sorting it out once and for all.?.

That would be the best outcome for us all.We could all make plans and get back to living a near normal life.

you have to ready it properly hun, everybody first thought it meant all post tariffs will be home by end of 2017 that's not what it means 😞 it means post tariffs who are waiting on a hearing will have had one by then if they've been delayed, they're never gonna just release them, we all wish that was true.My other half is 3 years over tariff but looks good that his appeal is gonna go through due to his co d writing a letter saying my other half is innocent and that it was all him... Plus with the new joint enterprise law a lot of people were able to appeal with that I feel that this shit that Nick Hardwick is saying is all bullshit parole board r still not gonna let a lot of them out its all bout power with them

 

Sullivan Amazing!! Fantastic!!! I have to let myself believe this is happening after years of pain for my son and family!! They are coming home!!!!

 Horton Liz Truss is the key now to get proper progress.

Change the release test and remove 'life licences' to remedy 'seriously flawed system', say prison reform charities
The government must end the 'toxic legacy' of open-ended sentences for current and former prisoners who are still being punished by the 'manifestly unfair' repealed law, leading prison law experts have said.
Introduced in 2005, indeterminate sentences of imprisonment for public protection (IPPs) were abolished in 2012 after being used more widely than intended. However, over 4,100 IPP prisoners remain in custody - about 5 per cent of the total prison population - unable to prove they are safe for release.

 Robinson Thankyou Katherine for all the work u have done for all the ipp's and the family's. Is their any chance u could advise me, if a ipp is refusing to do the pipe after they put it on him when he is yrs over tariff does he still have a chance to get out

 Noel

 2350 cases (these are cases of mandatory, discretionary and automatic lifers (2-Strikers) plus IPPs) Their stated aim is 'To eradicate the backlog by December 2017' - this just means that they hope that by December 2017 the process will be back on track and that they will be able to process people as they were before the backlog - in other words, they will be able to hold hearings on the correct dates (not that they will be releasing everybody). The statement - 'So by December 2017 there should be no one in prison there purely because their hearing is delayed' does not mean they are doing away with hearings or risk factors, it just means that lifers who have been recommended for release by all authorities will be able to have their hearing on the correct date.

Burgess ·

You might be interested to know I got an email from PB about them changing the way they deal with determinate recall cases to stop them prioritising them over IPPs and Lifers.
It's only a pilot but they hope it will help.

Welling I have told my brother who is low risk that I am nearly sure he will be out by December 2017. He wants to be happy but is in doubt. He has asked me to print out all the information from nick Hardwick detailing about all ipp prisoners that are over tariff will be out by 2017. What is the link called that I can get printed out for him please? Many thanks

Corrigan  my son has asked how this will affect those who are still "in denial" on ipp.


Grout Fair enough that I was sent to jail for the crime I committed, but then to be given an IPP life sentence after being told a community supervision order would be appropriate, and guess why the community supervision order wasn't appropriate? Well, because I can't do the IDAP(healthy relationship program), because I'm a gay man,and I was in a same sex relationship, discrimination or what !! ? but I also want to make clear that I'm not a sex offender, I was convicted of GBH section 18, hence, I understand I should of got sent to jail. A community supervision order to a life sentence is manifestly excessive in my opinion. Take a look at the snip it from my pre sentence report.

Jan 

I am not an expert on the law but it seems to me that the Probation Service do not have to answer to the law. This is wrong. I do not know of any other profession that has carte blanche say over other people’s lives yet does not have to answer or comply to a clear set of rules. If there was the same inconsistency within eduaction there would be an outcry. Why do they not have to answer to Government or any one else? If they had to make sworn statements and were answerable for these statements perhaps they would think twice before making the decisions they do.

Sayers
My brothers D cat was wrongly taken away from him AGAIN soon as he was due out on ROTTLE back in March, we have just had the most amazing news they have given his D cat back we got the news today!!!!!! Katherine Gleeson it's all coming together tears of happiness finally!!!!!!!! 🙏🏻❤️

Petition

We call upon Liz Truss to change the release test for IPP prisoners and give them a definite release date. Save the prisoners and their families any further agonising mental torture 

https://www.facebook.com/events/527253694130120/

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/free-the-remaining-ipp-prisoners?source=facebook-share-button&time=1457618246

Posted by Katherine Gleeson

Source: http://ippfanilycampaign.blogspot.co.uk/

We are in the News. 

Legal News 11August 2016

Government must find solution for open-ended sentences

 Change the release test and remove 'life licences' to remedy 'seriously flawed system', say prison reform charities

The government must end the 'toxic legacy' of open-ended sentences for current and former prisoners who are still being punished by the 'manifestly unfair' repealed law, leading prison law experts have said.

Introduced in 2005, indeterminate sentences of imprisonment for public protection (IPPs) were abolished in 2012 after being used more widely than intended. However, over 4,100 IPP prisoners remain in custody - about 5 per cent of the total prison population - unable to prove they are safe for release.

Professor Nick Hardwick, the chair of the Parole Board, recently suggested a revision of the risk test so that prisoners will only remain detained if the Parole Board can provide evidence they pose a danger to the public; a reversal of the burden of proof.

Juliet Lyon, the director of the Prison Reform Trust (PRT), told Solicitors Journal that 'changing the release test would be a welcome step towards ending [the IPP system's] toxic legacy'.

'The burden of proof needs to rest with the state, demonstrating that a person presents a real risk to the public if they are to be refused release. Proving a negative - that you won't reoffend if released - for many is an almost impossible task.'

Frances Crook, the chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said the proposal was a 'sensible, level-headed and just reform' in her blog for the charity.

'We cannot continue to incarcerate thousands of people because of something they might do. It is manifestly unfair and it is causing chaos inside prisons as people are caged for years past the date they expected to be released with no end in sight.'

Pete Weatherby QC of Garden Court North Chambers, who has been involved in IPP cases since the system's inception, said: 'Prisoners would be released much more effectively and swiftly and we would not be in the appalling position that we are in now where, in effect, prisoners are kept in administrative, arbitrary detention, arguably unlawfully.'

Professor Hardwick's comments came just months after the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas, sitting in the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division), said it was up to parliament to correct the current system.

More pressure had been applied in December 2014, when the UK Supreme Court held that all indeterminate sentence prisoners must be given a reasonable opportunity to reform themselves and demonstrate their safety for release throughout their detention under article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Lord Mance and Lord Hughes denounced the 'seriously flawed system of IPP' that was introduced 'without sufficient funding to cope with it'.

According to Lyon, 'the effect of Parole Board delays, limited resources, poor procedures for managing risk, and a lack of available places on offending behaviour programmes' have left IPP prisoners being held for years beyond their original tariff without knowing when they will be released.

A recent PRT report revealed that people serving an IPP have one of the highest rates of self-harm in the prison system. Figures showed that for every 1,000 people serving an IPP, there were 550 incidents of self-harm. This compared with 324 incidents for people serving a determinate sentence, and is more than twice the rate for people serving life sentences.

Professor Hardwick also posited that executive action could be taken to release IPP prisoners who have now served longer than the maximum current sentence for their offence.

Lyon went further, saying that discredited sentences could be converted into an equivalent determinate sentence, with a clear release date, and full support provided to people returning to their communities.

'Doing so would reintroduce fairness and proportionality into sentencing and consign our most unjust and ill-conceived sentence to the history books, once and for all,' she said.

However, Weatherby QC warned that while virtually all of the IPP prisoners would be released, 'a small number of prisoners who remain a risk would be released contrary to the intention of the legislature at the time of their sentencing'.

The Howard League also called for the 'life licence' given to prisoners sentenced to an IPP upon release to be abolished. Although it can be lifted after ten years upon request, Crook said a fixed period of supervision of two years would suffice, with the possibility of a further year if the secretary of state deemed it was required for public safety.

Weatherby QC agreed and said that having IPP prisoners on life licences was a 'huge squandering of resources', but stressed that the focus should be on sorting out the detention issue before going on to deal with the licences.

Matthew Rogers is a legal reporter at Solicitors Journal @sportslawmatt matthew.rogers@solicitorsjournal.co.uk

http://www.solicitorsjournal.com/news/legal-profession/barristers/27280/government-must-find-solution-open-ended-sentences

 

Insidetime – the National Newspaper for Prisoners and Detainees

February 2016, Issue No. 200, front page.

 

GOODBYE AND THANK YOU!

 

The outgoing Chief Inspector of Prisons Nick Hardwick talks exclusively to Inside Time as he steps down after five and a half years heading up the prisons inspectorate.  Hardwick, formerly the chair of the Independent Police Complaints Commission, proved to be a forceful and effective Chief Inspector unafraid to highlight bad practice and poor outcomes across the prison system of England and Wales wherever despite his supposed independence from the Government.  So concerned was he about this that he wrote to the MoJ’s Permanent Secretary Richard Heaton warning him that he would suspend all prison inspections unless the financial restrictions were lifted.  The ministry then agreed for the status quo to remain until April but rather worryingly has made no guarantees that his successor, the former police chief Peter Clarke, will have the same freedoms.  In this interview with Eric McGraw for Inside Time he:

 

• Explains why he had not applied to continue as HMCIP;
• Reveals his reaction to the Medway abuses exposed by Panorama;
• Thanks prisoners and staff who assisted him and his team as they endeavoured to produce rigorous and comprehensive reports on Her Majesty’s prisons.

 

‘Thank you to the prisoners, and staff, who’ve helped me do my job’

 

Before he left HM Inspectorate of Prisons, Nick Hardwick talked to Eric McGraw for Inside Time

 

Eric McGraw

 

Nick, you’ve been in the job now for five and a half years. You were invited to apply for your own job, I believe.

 

I wasn’t invited to apply for my own job. I was told that the job was going to be re-advertised publicly so that if I wanted to continue to do the job I would have to apply for it. Frankly, at that point, the unmistakeable message I got, said in only the way that civil servants can say it, was that I shouldn’t bother. I shouldn’t waste my time.

 

Inside Time interviewed David Ramsbotham when he left the Inspectorate. He said you can shoot the messenger but not the message.

 

Yes, exactly. The problem with this role is that I am criticising what the Secretary of State has direct operational responsibility for, potentially - or praising it for that matter. You simply aren’t credible if people were to see you as dependent on that person for your job.

 

I don’t want to be over precious about it but in this particular job, where you’re inspecting something which the Secretary of State is directly responsible for, you can’t be asking him for a job.

 

The other point I would make is that you shouldn’t do these jobs for too long anyway because you are inclined to get used to things. I think seven years would be an ideal time. I think you can do it far too long. To be honest, I’ve gone into places and I think you get used to things you shouldn’t get used to. You know, there are a lot of prisoners doubled up in a cell designed for one with a badly screened toilet, ‘hang on a minute, that’s disgusting; the cells are disgusting and you think, yes, they are, disgusting. And I used to think they were disgusting, jaw-droppingly so really, but now I’ve got used to it.  Because you see it so much. And actually the fact that it happens everywhere doesn’t mean that it’s okay. It means it’s disgusting everywhere. And so I think you can do these things far too long and you get used to stuff. So I don’t have any concerns now about saying ‘this is the right time to move on’.

 

You described the prison conditions recently as ‘the worst in a decade’. What provoked you to say that?

 

There are two really key pieces of evidence to support that. So the first thing is our inspection findings. As you know, we make these judgements of safety, respect, purposeful activity and resettlement and for each of those inspections we say whether outcomes were good, not sufficiently good or poor. So if you track what we’ve been saying about prisons, if you track the trends which we can now do because we’ve used the same scoring system going back ten years, they are now at their worst level for ten years.

 

There’s nobody serious out there who argues with our judgement; things have gone through a very bad period.  I think, to be fair, we’ve got some signs of stuff starting to, at least level out and possibly improve which is what you would expect because some of the staffing issues have stabilised, they’ve filled some of the vacancies. Conditions are certainly a lot worse than when I started.

 

Overcrowding is top of the list, I guess.

 

Yes. I think it is really important that people understand overcrowding.  Overcrowding is not simply a matter of two men put in a cell designed for one although, as we were saying, unacceptable though that is - it is unacceptable - the toilet thing is disgusting - it’s two men in a large toilet, it is disgusting if you have to spend your whole time there.

 

But more than that it’s that you don’t have the resources in the prison. You don’t have the education and activity places, you haven’t got the staff available to talk to people, you haven’t got the staff available for hospital escorts, you haven’t got room for your Muslim prisoners in Friday prayers or whatever it might be. Your capacity in prisons is not simply about space, it’s about capacity.

 

Another subject that Inside Time gets a lot of correspondence about is recalls to prison - more than 5,000 at the moment - and most of those, I understand, have not committed a crime, they’ve breached their licence conditions. In fact, we had a guy writing to us very recently who said he was recalled because he got married ... Now, getting married is a risky business ...

 

It is indeed ...

 

... I would have been inclined to tell him, don’t do it again!

 

I think recalls is an area that does need to be looked at. What I think is - and I think what the public would like, I tend to think, if you’ve done a sentence, committed an offence, you go before a court and the jury hears the case against you and then a judge hands down a sentence - that should be it.

 

One of the things that surprised me in this job is how many people can be locked up on the say-so of officials; you know, immigration detainees, recalls, the whole IPP thing - I hadn’t quite understood that really. My idea before I came into this was that you went before a jury and a judge in a wig and they locked you up - I hadn’t quite realised it was some junior clerk somewhere making the decision.

 

The Council of Europe has issued a fresh call for prisoners to get the vote. Are you in favour of prisoners having the vote?

 

I have to say that in all the times I’ve gone around prisons, even when there has been an election on, no prisoner has ever once raised the question of whether they should have the vote. I think two things though, about this.

 

I think, first of all, it seems to me to be very difficult for anybody involved in the justice system for us to say, ‘here is a court decision that we don’t like and therefore we won’t follow it.’ I don’t think that’s a tenable position. My view is that once you join a club, you have to obey the rules even when the decision goes against you and you don’t like it that’s quite an important lesson to teach.

 

Secondly, what the court is actually asking for is very minimal; it doesn’t say that every prisoner has got to have the vote, it says some have got to have the vote. I think one of the things we ought to be doing is encouraging prisoners to think about citizenship and in that context you need to take a responsible interest in what’s going on around you so that might be the situation in which you introduce the vote for some prisoners so I think what the court is asking for is very modest.

 

For me the strongest argument is about hypocrisy. If you are in the justice system, the message you are saying to prisoners is, you don’t have to - what we all have to do sometimes is put up with rules we don’t like, that’s how it is. You might feel, as a community, angry about this or that but you can’t always do exactly what you want. And that’s why I think it is a really bad example.

 

If you were in charge of the prison system, what would you expect to do in the first year?

 

Well, to be honest, I’ve got quite a lot of sympathy with some of the things that Michael Gove (Justice Secretary) is talking about. I think giving governors more autonomy is a good thing, so that you can respond to the needs of your population by making them accountable for outcomes; I think that is important.

 

I would give priority to education, in its broadest sense, I don’t just mean sitting in a classroom, and I would try to sort out the Youth Justice System. So I think those would all be pretty near the top of my priority list. First of all you have to deal with safety, then you have to deal with your physical needs for food and water and clean underwear and all that kind of stuff and you have to sort those things out before you can do the other things around self-ful-filment which might be about education or rehabilitation or whatever.  You’ve got to get the basics right.

 

I saw you on the Panorama programme on the Medway abuses.  You looked pretty upset.

 

Well, I think it was very distressing - it was very distressing to watch. On the whole with adults they are more likely to speak out and say something. The problem with boys, with these children, is how can people make a logical choice? Who are you going to talk to? The custody officers who are in there every day and who you depend on and who they spoke to - it was like, rather plaintive calling them ‘brother’, ‘want to be your mate’ type of stuff, ‘don’t pick on me’ - or this stranger or official who comes in every so often and says ‘have you got any worries?’ I wouldn’t.

 

To me the first priority is to make sure that when people are in there, out of sight at the mercy of prison officers, they’re not being physically mistreated. And sometimes I think we take that for granted.

 

Is there anything you would like to say to our readers?

 

Yes. I would like to use Inside Time to say thank you to all the prisoners who, over the last five and a half years, have been unfailingly helpful and polite to me. I feel I know some of them - I track some of them from prison to prison and they greet me like a long lost friend, but seriously there’s lots of prisoners who’ve been really helpful to me, who’ve explained things and told me where to go and look, so thank you to them. There’s loads of prisoners also who write to me.

But to all of those people who’ve written to us letting us know what is going on and to tell us things; that’s been a really important source of information for us. I do want to say thank you to the people, and staff, who’ve helped me do my job and explained things to me. So I want to thank them, that’s what I would like to do.

 

We will certainly do that for you!

Top of Form