Justice secretary told to 'get a grip' on prisoners with no release date. Back log of prisoners held beyond interdeminate sentence IPP.

Relatives of one prisoner on an IPP said he was suicidal after being “left to rot”ward suicidal 11 years over a 10 month jail term.. In 2006, James Ward, from Nottinghamshire, was given an IPP.

 

Parole Board chair warns over ‘unacceptably high’ level of suicide among prisoners serving indeterminate sentences

  

The chair of the Parole Board has expressed his frustration at the government’s failure to “get a grip” on the issue of prisoners serving indeterminate sentences under the discredited imprisonment for public protection (IPP) programme.

 

There are 3,300 people in England and Wales on IPPs in jail with no release date, Nick Hardwick told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. The scheme was abolished in 2012.

He said hundreds of prisoners were serving time several years over the minimum tariffs set for them, and many were prone to self-harm as a result.

“The levels of suicide, assault, and self-harm is unacceptably high. It’s the fault of political and policy decisions that should have been put right two years ago,” Hardwick, a former chief inspector of prisons, said.

 

He described IPPs as a blot on the system when he was appointed to the Parole Board post more than a year ago. Now he is urging the justice secretary, David Lidington, to introduce urgent changes of the type agreed by the former justice secretary Michael Gove before he was replaced by Liz Truss.

 

Hardwick said: “We need to get a grip on this problem. Michael Gove agreed to a whole series of changes and then was sacked before he had the chance to do it, when he was justice minister.”

Relatives of one prisoner on an IPP said he was suicidal after being “left to rot”. In 2006, James Ward, from Nottinghamshire, was given an IPP for arson with a minimum tariff of 10 months. Eleven years later he is still in prison with no release date after his parole hearings were repeatedly delayed. Wards family  heartfelt message to BBC News : Video in link, left side  press on red box.

 April told the BBC he was self-harming and dangerously thin.

Hardwick said Ward’s case illustrated the plight of many. “The description the Ward family gave of that young man is happening to hundreds and hundreds,” he said. “The prison system is simply unable to care for a prisoner with that level of need at the moment.”

 

He said delays in releasing prisoners on IPPs could be reduced if the onus switched to the state to prove they were a danger to the public if they were released.

Hardwick said: “Some of those delays are down to the Parole Board, but we are making good progress in putting those right. But the other main reason for the delay is that it is so difficult for somebody in that young man’s position to meet the legal test of demonstrating that they are not going to commit a serious offence in future.

 

“For people with a tariff or punishment part of their sentence of less than two years, the onus should be on the state to prove they are likely to commit a further offence, rather than for them to prove they are not.

 

“We can do something about the IPP problem without compromising the safety of the public.”

He also pointed out that scarce staff resourcing was being tied up in monitoring prisoners like Ward.

“Every prison officer you’ve got on constant watch looking at a prisoner in this situation is not somebody walking the wings, doing the rehabilitative work with other prisoners,” Hardwick said.

 

“If we allow resources to be drained away to this extent, then it threatens the security of us all.”

The Ministry of Justice says it is working closely with the Parole Board to process the cases as quickly as possible.

A spokeswoman said: “We are determined to address the challenge of making sure all IPP prisoners have the support they need to show they are no longer a threat to public safety ... Earlier this year, we set up a new unit focused on this and improving the efficiency of the parole process.

 

“This work is continuing to achieve results, with 576 IPP releases in 2016; the highest number of annual releases since the sentence became available in 2005.”

 

 

 comments

 

Rumble For god sake when will the government prioritise these cases, its a bloody disgrace
Hang on all you in there people are praying for you  

 

Robinson just to put in the pot about the government from the previous ministers, the ones that was previously in the seat, say for the current minister to grow a back bone and change something but why didn't the one before you and the one before you. This is to shift the hate from them as they are all full of crap!!! They could actually grow a pair and put the pen to paper. let them out.

 

Clare Louisa Piercy They talk to much and need to start acting on them. Words now...

Aimee Nicholson 👌👏👏

Clover What the IPP sentence can do to you ! So wrong

 

Davis My son had a 18month sentence in 2006 still in ?

O Carolan  The system is corrupt.This guy needs mental health help not prison. Disgusting abuse of power.
 

Sue Whiting Thank you

 

DeeKing 2h2 hours ago Hi Katherine, hoping to speak to you about an IPP piece on LBC radio today. Or other family's could you DM for details please? Thanks.

Graves These sentences are diabolical and to be honest I would be suicidal when in their situation my son has been in over eight years of a three year recommendation. Anyone in this situation please try and hang on as best you can

Bennett My brother had a 5yr IPP with a 2 yr tariff in 2007 and his still in too its wrong.

 

Rhodes My son had a 4 year IPP sentence in 2005 and is still in despite doing every course under the sun. Who wouldn't lose hope and get frustrated?

Mine had a 18month tariff was release in 2012 was recalled bk in 2014 still inside bars... He is over 9 years now.

 

Tait Free the IPP my bro just done 7 for a 5 year n is still in now n my cuson got 18months back in 2003 and has done 12years .And in still in there to this day free all the IPP prisoners.

Piercy And why he recalled bk well they thou ok let messed him up more by going into his flat and beating him up so police officers did so and he is the one being punished and they abuse their powers they call it protecting the pupil yeah hell with that how is that protecting the pupil it ain't it's a load of bullocks.

Bennett Its wrong on so many levels they meant to rehabilitate u but they make u crazy

 

Mike Ford I befriended a man locked up now for over 12 years, given an 18 month IPP. Nothing will get better unless we transfer our despair and anger relentlessly to the politicians who have the power - no point if we stop at discussing it among ourselves. Some may say do the time OK, but not six times over the time with no end in prospect - this issue is well beyond banal platitude.
 

PiercyMine had a 18month tariff was release in 2012 was recalled bk in 2014 still inside bars... He is over 9 years now.

Zing Regarding James Ward BBC News
why did nick Hardwick and the government not do more  more for IPP Prisoners,
i know james ward and he should have been released before me, and many who were released before me shouldnt have been,he doesnt need mental health assesments from prison with no release date which is obviously whats causing this problem, i met him when he was self harming and there is nothing wrong with him, if there is no i dont give a fuck thats nick hardwick fault, i come off license i want to have a meeting with him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/aug/14/liz-truss-get-grip-backlog-prisoners-held-beyond-interdeminate-sentence-ipp