Family hit out, we all want tranparencey not lies or cover ups.

Britain's overcrowded jails are leading to a vicious culture of drugs, debt and violence, warn experts.

Figures released this week show the shocking levels of overcrowding as inmates are crammed in to crumbling jails.

The average level of overcrowding across all prisons is 110 per cent.

Wandsworth in South London, tops the list. Built to hold 841 men, it now has 1,373 behind bars.

A spokesman for the Howard League, the prison reform charity, said: “Prisoners are living in unsuitable conditions. Some are in these overcrowded cells for 23 hours a day.

“And that leads to increased drug use and gambling and........ That in turn brings debt and that leads to violence. That’s one of the reasons we are seeing an increase in the amount of violence in our prisons.”

Figures seen by the charity show a total of 359,081 days – almost 984 years – were added to sentences in 2017.

“Locking people up for longer and longer is unsustainable,” the spokesman said. “It piles pressure on the population and worsens overcrowding, which in turn creates conditions for drug abuse, violence and self-injury.”

Last month, separate figures revealed record assaults, up 13 per cent to 29,485 – more than 80 a day.

Keir Mudie: We are locked into failure as prisons are not working

Meanwhile, it was revealed 211 officers who took voluntary redundancy have since been re-hired.

• IPP prisoner are still in the same petition.
• Crammed conditions are  prisoners are being struck down with TB, the prisons waited 4 months before doing anything which no doubt will be passed on to the public.

One  woman from Birmingham hit out at health standards inside a West Midlands prison after her partner was struck down with the potentially deadly TB virus.

The 34-year-old, who has asked to remain anonymous, explained how her partner was transferred from HMP Oakwood to a TB isolation unit at a nearby hospital due to the seriousness of his condition.

he said: "He's been unwell since January and has been showing all the signs of having TB; puking up blood, sweating and having chest pains.

The prison has confirmed there is one new case of TB

The prisoner's partner, who is from south Birmingham, drove to the prison to dish out posters onto cars outlining her concerns, claiming that inmates "have not been receiving the appropriate care".

However, the posters were subsequently removed by security staff at the prison, which is situated opposite HMP Featherstone.

"He was finally diagnosed last week.

"I last visited him on March 28 and he said loads of people had TB and that they were in the gym trying to sweat it out.

"There's babies and potentially vulnerable people sitting inside the visiting room on visitor days so it's very concerning."

"Imagine being banged up 23 hours a day thinking you're dying. You just can't imagine it, can you?

"There's people sitting there getting no care because of the c**p health care.

"We've been given no information. All I want to know is that if he is OK."

"Drastic measures by a family member to give leaflets  warning inmates and other families of the out break but was taken down, if that,s not covering up a problem!!!!

COMMENTS

Jez

Average running capacity 110%. 299 died in one year. Over 800 years ADDED to sentences in just ONE year!! To clarify that's extra days given whilst in prison for breaking the hundreds of prison rules which could be something as simple as breathing rule.

Rosina

I will never understand how someone can be tarnished with the same brush over and over again yet someone can kill someone and serve a less sentence .. they say Ipp is for public protection yet sitisticly the longer kept insutusanlised the more likely to reoffend... It's a sentence that in my eyes is crazy some base this sentence on past more vulnerable than ever people serving this sentence and easy targets for others including prison officers to revoke.. it makes me sad that many are over tariff families struggle with special events to even know if they should wait for weddings christening for loved ones to share them moments .. if one claims any such issues they get told not to play victim sorry ipps are victims victims to a sentence abolished due to not working yet they are meant to apply and follow something that does not work and is no longer a sentence... I will never understand all I can say is that I am a member of that public they are trying to keep safe and myself personally has more emotional distress than any one of these could pose to me because honestly if I felt dangered amoung any one of them and hundreds probs around us daily id phone the police 🤣so in my eyes more money needs to be spent in younger years of young men and women's lifes to prevent and help mental health family issues and young youth to prevent this path as the system fails from a young age in children that need help that could or most likley prevented many with mental illnesses adhd ect my brother being a mixed culture was targeted non stop from young he had no chance he was wrong because of his colour no help was given to our family no support even when asked to prevent this .. It's a joke something I will never understand

Mcluckie

  This is wot I have said so many tome Joanne Staunton how can they prove their no risk to the public wen the only dealings they have wit them is on a visit ? Release them to the community it's not that their not being monitored by police an probation an it's that word IPP that's a danger not the prisoners

Biamonti-bello It’s very sad 😞 I have a nephew in prison on a IPP sentence and I feel for you —it’s all a mix of mental health -institutionalisation and red tape -prison makes it worse I know —it’s really painful.

Horton 

My grandson has just been refused parole. Again I haven't seen the letter myself yet, but I know that his probation officer at the hearing said she wanted him to do yet more courses to prove he is not a risk to the public!

He's a bigger risk to people in prison, because there is nowhere to go to get away from them! Why oh why can the Parole Board not understand this? I'm not going to rant at length, because I know people in this group understand. But my grandson is just about ready to give up now. He worked so hard for this parole, and our solicitor was brilliant too

Ford ,I am Keen to ask a prison psychologist why they keep coming up with courses that extend prisoners lives locked up for year and years, some of these courses discredited - to keep themselves in employment? Transfixed by the courses & ignore the human being in front of them? Using 'public protection' as the unassailable mantra to perpetuate suffering inside?

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/prisoner-struck-down-tb-hmp-14593743

IPP demo 23 May 2018 ,calling for the Minister to End the Injustice and suffering of IPP PrisonersOver Tariff.

Ex-home secretary  Blunkett  the indeterminate jail terms IPP, brought in while he was in office, have led to "injustices" of now 3000 prisoners
because he"got the implementation wrong". As a consequence prisoners are over tariff  by 5/12 years with no release no fault of there own.








20 IPP prisoners since have taken there own life. 

Sign the IPP Petition by scanning the QR code on your Mobile phone.

 If you don't have an app on your phone .How to download a QR code reader to your mobile phone.

Are you looking for an easy way to download a QR code reader or QR code decoder to your mobile device? We got you covered. To download qr code software for your mobile phone, simply follow these steps:

1. Open your mobile app store (App Store, Google Play, Windows Marketplace, etc.)
2. Search for QR code readers. Check out our list of QR code readers for mobile phones to find the right one for you.
3. Simply download the QR code reader to your phone, open it and you are ready to go.
   Note: You will need to open your downloaded QR code reader each time you want to decode a QR code. Otherwise, you will end up just taking a picture of the QR code.Most phones do not come with the software to decode QR codes out of the box. For this reason, you must download QR code readers to decode the contents of the any QR code you may come across
4. .http://www.708media.com/qrcode/download-qr-code-reader-mobile-device/

 

Event

Event on ‘IPP, Parole and Progression’ on Tuesday 5th June 2018.

The event seeks to draw on a range of perspectives – from senior leaders, practitioners and academics and focuses on themes such as why some people become ‘stuck’ in the system and how to effectively support progression in custody.

Confirmed speakers include:

...

Professor Nick Hardwick, Chair of the Parole Board and Professor at Royal Holloway University

Sonia Walsh, Governor of HMP Warren Hill

Professor Leam Craig, Clinical and Forensic Psychologist and Professor at University of Birmingham

Lunch included and refreshments to be provided throughout the day. *Please note, tickets bought the day of the event cannot be catered for due to catering time frames.

: prisons.research@le.ac.uk

The event will blend a range of presentations with opportunities for dialogue and discussion -

I look forward to seeing you there.

TO REGISTER TO GO https://www.smileyhippo.com/desktopdesigner/help.php

Jeremy

The enormous suffering caused by this sentence has yet to be uncovered. I wonder if out there somewhere there is a reporter brave enough to dig below the surface and uncover it. A significant number have died in prison because of the trauma they have had to endure but it is not just the subject that suffers, its their family too. Children forced to cope with their dad behind bars way passed his sentence end date. Any hope of a normal family life destroyed. So children suffer because they miss out on having a father there to help them. This of course puts more pressure on the wife. She has to try and be both their mum and dad. But how does she cope. Having to cope with no one there to help, having to goto a prison to see the one she loves but not being able to properly talk and relax with him like in any normal relationship. But its not just wives and partners, what about parents, what about their suffering? Seeing someone you love suffer year after year as they are turned down again for parole. Seeing them slowly unravel as they lose hope at ever being released. No end date, no hope. A justice system that is so unjust. Retribution,, persecution and nothing but hatred at its core. Inexcusable, persistent persecution is the true meaning of I.P.P. Talk is cheap in politics. Its time to act. Get these people out. Reporters start reporting the true cost of this sentence. The Howard league have gone deep to the core to tell it how it is. Now let the public see how unjust this sentence has been to families

Thom

I have been trying to get a reporter to talk to me for a while now. noone seams interested unless ipp is already in the spotlight for something bad. my partner is now 8.5 years over tariff. his problem isnt the sentence or the complying it’s the fact that he’s done everything he should for years and gotten nowhere, he’s given up and down believes he’ll spend all his life in prison. he isn’t a violent man, quite the opposite in fact. he’s a quiet man who can’t wait to wash the car and mow the lawn on a Sunday and provide me with all the live a wife could wish for, he just wanta normality. with all the new staff coming in to prisons atm there is alot of ignorance around the issue of IPP and their requirements. he’s currently in a YOI C cat where nickings are giving out like sweets and the OMU there isn’t catering for his needs. all this adds to one thing…. parole knock back. he’s pushing me away and there is nothing I can do. the fact remains that he has served 11 years for having a fight when he was 20, he has served more than 2x the maximum for his crime. heart is breaking daily. the limbo is awful. we, the family members are doing the sentence with them. we can’t plan a future without a date to aim for

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/represent-yourself-at-a-parole-review-oral-hearing

Update!!! The March went well and it was a productive day alot of people was interested the IPP Prisoners being overtariff and appalled

The next coming weeks  we have a meeting with the Chief of the parole board Martin Jones. I will keep you all informed once the date set. I shall post the images of the March in the next few days.

I have just made some quick notes below on some ideas to address the Parole Board but I know you have your own questions you want answered so ill be happy for you to email me them and  bring them along to the meeting. 

katherinegleeson@aol.com


Last year we asked for   release dates for the over tariff IPP prisoners ,we was given  2018 to 2020 , 2020 being for difficult cases.

•We want to know if the parole board are on target  since we are now in 2018 .
•We all want to  know if IPP Prisoners are a priority to insure  they meet the target
•Is there funding required to insure  target are met?
•Have there been delays and how have they addressed them?
•Are the Parole hearing judges aware of postdate failing with the IPP sentence when denying an IPP Prisoner parole that has kept prisoners long beyond there sentence, and not by their own actions?  Because of

• Lack of courses
• legal aid
• Trainee psychologist
• poorly recorded records of prisoners

Examination of the risk

Perceived risk a person is kept in imprison not for what they have done but what they might do! Such not knowing when they will be released or what is the perceived risk is so they can make changes or progress. This gives a prisoner no hope because of the sheer uncertainty, causing stress and mental health and unprecedented deaths.

• Is the test for risk outdated only balanced on the trust of the individual parole board at the time of hearing or a tick box?
• EXAMPLE: An IPP over tariff with ADHD say suicidal tendencies because of the uncertainty of the sentence would be conceived a risk and fail parole .If it be the case a risk why couldn’t the prisoner be released to mental health other than prison which is not the correct environment.
• EXAMPLE: An IPP prisoner with learning differences is he as risk of depression not coping since he has not much family or support to return too if he was released.
• should the risk be test be modernized?

IPP over tariff prisoners are subject to another ten year licensee
Which all of us feel is unjust and unfair, and causes extended issues

• Continued mental health
• Employment issues /
• Long term poverty
• Likely to be recalled on non-crime basis or misunderstanding or because you have cognitive issues 55% recall is not an example of working.
• Failing of family ties do to distance and funds
• Break down of children ties and license rules restrictions
• Attempted suicides on the outside not always in the data.
• We all need to Safeguard and promote the rights of people with learning differences and we need to support their progression often those with cognitive issues have differcuties with defending their own defence and often end up with longer sentences as a result of the differcuties .reasonable adjustments are not   always enforced but needs to be intermediates are a must for fairness

Parole you may have first-hand knowledge on the effects of long license that can have  dire effects and we know that one does not fit all, and can do more damage than good, its time for change. We all want to see parole that is fast forward that makes reasonable adjustments when necessary one that is not stuck in time and one that is always being safe. We all want to see a modern Parole board with inactive ideas and solutions that improves prisoner’s progress and mental health.

• What can you do to intervene and influence a change with the Ministry of justice on long term license for IPP Prisoners?

The Solution?

• Take into account them being tariff and decrease the license for over tariff IPP prisoners Tag for 3 years?
• Work programs to reward and reduced your license, reward on progress?
• Assisted cognitive assessments for those who feel they have differcuties with daily tasks that affect them keeping to times and rules to enable them to get reasonable adjustments and insuring one set of prisoners are not persecuted when leaving prison on any work program. probation having knowledge and training of the effects of cognitive effects there would be less persecution recall for those who are recognised as having learning differences.

Recall

There needs to be  strategy to end the constant Recall. Recall is not the answer it just leads to self-harm and continued mental torture. Can the recall test be changed?

• Only use in extreme cases?
• Probation can undermine one another other which effects the offender one will ok a situation and another lather will not and the prisoner can be recalled on issues like this. What can be to see that probation are singing on the same him sheet?
• Progression of the prisoner is foremost and if your relationship with your probation officer broke down it can be made differcult to communicate any longer. Changing your probation officer should be a human right like if you wanted to change your solicitor id you feel that not working well with you. There should be modernization so it can be made simple to change your probation and move your records on rather than making difficult with long winded paperwork and explanations. When there is a breakdown of the ex-offender and probation both will not function well and this defeats progression.

Sign the IPP Petition by scanning with your phone.

 If you don't have an app on your phone .How to download a QR code reader to your mobile phone.

Are you looking for an easy way to download a QR code reader or QR code decoder to your mobile device? We got you covered. To download qr code software for your mobile phone, simply follow these steps:

1. Open your mobile app store (App Store, Google Play, Windows Marketplace, etc.)
2. Search for QR code readers. Check out our list of QR code readers for mobile phones to find the right one for you.
3. Simply download the QR code reader to your phone, open it and you are ready to go.
   Note: You will need to open your downloaded QR code reader each time you want to decode a QR code. Otherwise, you will end up just taking a picture of the QR code.Most phones do not come with the software to decode QR codes out of the box. For this reason, you must download QR code readers to decode the contents of the any QR code you may come across.http://www.708media.com/qrcode/download-qr-code-reader-mobile-device/

COMMENTS

Sheila Field, Human Rights

Thank you for organising the demo yesterday. I enjoyed having an excuse to talk to some of the civil servants at the MOJ -- they're quite nice. Did you hear David Gauke on Radio 5 Live this morning -- his scheme for getting prisoners into work on release? The snag being some become homeless as soon as released: they need a fixed abode to jobs eek or start work. I bet he can't solve that one. However, he seems as sincere and straightforward as any Secretary of State is ever likely to be. ON THE SUBJECT of going to court under the Human Rights Act(Articles 3 and 6) to get a BINDING JUDGMENT on the treatment of IPP prisoners, the first step is to pick the brains of the experts, to get

IDEAS and CONTACTS. Two groups likely to supply these are:(1) JUSTICE 59 Carter Lane, EC4V 5AQ 0207 329 5100 Director: Andrea Coomber.www.justice.org.uk admin@justice.org.ukThese people are lawyers with a membership of lawyers including top law firms. They have a formidable council whose president is HELENA KENNEDY (Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws) a criminal barrister by trade, and a formidable list of "Friends". They have a strong interest in human rights law and hold a human rights conference every year. In theory they will tell you everything you need to know, but these days I have reservations about professionals who are "paid to know" -- sometimes they don't know!

(2) LIBERTY, 26-30 Strutton Ground, SW1P 2HR 0207 378 3663Director: Martha Spurrier.

www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk Martha is a barrister, I think out of DOUGHTY CHAMBERS.

Solicitors. The above groups may recommend solicitors they trust onhuman rights issues. A few such firms are BINDMAN & PARTNERS, EIGH DAY or BIRNBERG PEIRCE& PTNRS, 14 Inverness Street, NW1 7HJ. There are numerous others.You must think big from the very start, or else don't proceed.

When talking to solicitors, insist you want a "top name" barrister. Nothing else will do. One obvious example is David Pannick QC,(Lord Pannick) who is an expert on the Human Rights Act.

Publicity and Funding. Seek advice as these are crucial. I can't help on social media as I'm a dinosaur. The Howard League does crowd-funding, if you can  go to Director Frances Crook for advice.Divine Help. When God takes over a case, its chances improve at a stroke. He can outwit the most devious opponent, and help you win even with a weak argument. The Bible fails to explain

just how clever God is !!! Ask a charismatic prayer group to hand your case to God and cover it in prayer. Some churches actually work with prisoners -- St Johns at Welling for one. A church that

works at Brixton Prison is HOLY NATION CHURCH at Victoria. They are also charismatic. HOLY TRINITY BROMPTON is the richest church in the UK (It's opposite Harrods) and is alsocharismatic, but I don't know if it does a project with prisoners. It can easily lay on both prayer and some funding.Get back to me if you need help on anything, but bear in mind

I've got a campaign of my own. However, if for example you would like me to handle the churches side of things, I'll do my best.

YOU MUST THINK BIG FROM THE START AND GET FOCUSED.DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE MONEY QUITE YET.CONCENTRATE ON THE VISION OF A BIG SPLASH CASE.

Best regards, Sheila Field

 https://justice.org.uk/legal-advice/

Phill  

 but If I can help in anyway pls pls pls just ask an il do What ever u need of me thank u on behalf of EVERYONE serving a Ipp sentence I'm truly greatful that we have such a motivated women in u thanks .


Biamonti-bello

this unfair ridiculous IPP
It touches my heart and my families heart my nephew needs windows of hope I care for him so much ——see you all there in unison———  Cooke

Katherine  It was a great day today and thank you for organising it.

............................................................................................................................................................

Research gaps

Last week (17 May 2018), the MoJ published an interesting document setting out its areas of research interest. The document highlights the Ministry of Justice’s strategic evidence gaps with a focus on long-term and cross-cutting gaps in our understanding. It was published in the light of Sir Paul Nurse’s review of research councils which made clear the need for government departments to communicate clearly about where their long-term research interests lie, to ensure that:

the UK continues to support world-leading science and invests public money in the best possible way. 

The document sets out its research gaps under four themes:

1. Deliver a modern courts and justice system 


2. Create a prison and probation service that reforms offenders 


3. Promote Global Britain and protect the rule of law 


4. Create a transformed department that delivers excellent services

In this post, I focus on the second theme – how the prison and probation services can promote desistance and reduce reoffending.

What research the MoJ wants

The prisons and probation section highlights four main themes which are discussed in turn below.

1: How do we reduce the number of young people offending and entering the youth justice system?

Arecently published Ministry of Justice international review outlines approaches that can be effective in managing young people in the youth justice system. While the evidence base is growing, most of the high quality published studies are international. Therefore, there is a lack of robust evidence on what works for whom at the various stages in our youth justice system. Comparable information on cost-effective interventions is also limited. Key questions highlighted by the MoJ include:

• Which interventions are most effective in preventing ‘at risk’ children and young people from offending?


• Which interventions are effective in reducing reoffending (and improving other outcomes such as education; training and employment; health and accommodation) for children and young people at various stages of the youth justice system?


• What works to increase compliance among children and young people with the various youth justice disposals and supervision?


• What type of interventions reduce reoffending among children and young people who are being supervised in the community or in custody?


• What are the outcomes for children and young people post-release from custody (for example education, training and employment, health and accommodation)?


• What are the factors predicting transition into the adult criminal justice system and do these vary by ethnicity or gender?

2: Does diversion to alternative disposals work and for whom?

The criminal court and youth justice system delivers justice through the decision making of magistrates, judges and other key stakeholders. It is a complex and expensive system to run. Diverting more offenders, where it is appropriate to do so, to alternative disposals or support has potential to deliver efficiencies, swifter justice and better outcomes. This includes triage, health and liaison to divert low level youth offenders and/or those with health issues away from the formal justice system to more appropriate support. For the wider offender population, initiatives include Restorative Justice and Community Resolutions. The MoJ wants to know:

• How effective are different interventions aimed at dealing with the underlying causes of offending? At what point in the justice process or pre-justice process are they most effective? Who are they most effective for? What is the best approach to commissioning and delivering these interventions?


• How effective are alternative disposals and diversionary methods in reducing subsequent offending? How does this vary across offence and offender type, and how can we make sure diversion is targeted where most effective? Where do costs and benefits fall?


• What incentives and behavioural levers are more effective in encouraging the use of alternative disposals and diversionary methods among front line stakeholders?


• What are the attitudes of victims, witnesses and the wider public, as well as key partner organisations such as the police and judiciary, towards alternative disposals, diversionary methods and community supervision? Is there confidence in these measures delivering justice?

3: What interventions are most cost-effective in reducing adult reoffending, and what works for whom?

There is good evidence on what factors are associated with reoffending – for example, impulsivity and poor self-regulation, drug misuse, lack of employment or lack of stable accommodation. However, our understanding of what works to reduce reoffending tends to be high level, with less understanding of what approaches might work best with different types of offender. In terms of sanctions, there are, for example, questions about the optimal approach to rehabilitating vulnerable offenders. In terms of interventions, there is good evidence on some (for example drug misuse) but for others there are gaps (for example accommodation). Evidence on the costs and benefits of interventions (and on which part of the system the costs and benefits fall) is also lacking, as is a more in-depth understanding of what works with whom, and how. Better quality evidence in this area would help to improve practice and design more effective interventions for offenders, be they delivered in a custodial or community setting. This is the largest section in the document and you can see the hand of the Probation Inspectorate. I reproduce some of the MoJ’s highlighted areas below:

• Are certain sanctions more appropriate for some offenders than others, and how do we create the right conditions in custody and community for this rehabilitation? What is the best way to rehabilitate vulnerable offenders – for example those with mental health problems or learning disabilities, or those who have experienced domestic abuse?
• What role does the workforce have in achieving effective rehabilitation? How can we develop a rehabilitative culture across the prison and probation workforce?
• How can local services be best engaged to support and sustain desistance during the sentence and beyond? How can providers of services collaborate and work in partnership with prisons and probation to support offenders?
• At what point of an offenders’ journey through the criminal justice system can we best intervene to support their rehabilitation?
• What is the relationship between different sentences (custodial versus community, length of sentence, and delivery of sentence such as use of electronic tags) and reducing reoffending or promoting positive outcomes (for example reduced drug use)? What factors account for the relationship, and are there lessons to suggest different sentences are more effective in reducing reoffending in different circumstances?
• What works to increase compliance among offenders with their court orders and licence conditions?
• Which non-accredited interventions are effective in reducing reoffending and supporting desistance?
• How effective are new forms of technology in engaging service users and supporting their desistance (for example, electronic monitoring and in-cell technology)?
• What are the links between the different operating models implemented by prison and probation providers and key outcomes for service users? How effective are community hubs in helping engage probation service users and supporting their desistance?

4: How do we best create custodial and community based environments that keep people safe and reduce levels of violence and self-harm?

Improving and sustaining safety in prisons is a high and urgent priority for the department. Providing a safer environment for those in prison and returning people to the community in a better condition than on their entry to custody is an essential role of the prison service. We have reasonable information on levels of violence and self-harm within prisons as well as some of the risk factors (for example, assaults are strongly associated with younger age prisoners as well as those with low self-control). Existing evidence also shows that the prison environment, and the relationships within it, play a considerable role in how prisoners behave: for example, physically poor conditions, highly controlling regimes, or circumstances in which rules are unevenly applied or not adhered to, heighten tensions and induce stresses, giving rise to conflict and assault. Available staff with appropriate skills and minimising the illicit economy in prisons are also important in reducing risk. Further research, particularly involving quantified outcomes, is needed. The key questions where the MoJ is inviting research are:

• What approaches are effective in reducing incidents in prison such as assaults, self-harm or drug use?
• What are the drivers of violence and self-harm in custody and how can we better predict emerging risks? How does this vary by prison type and offender groups?
• What are effective ways of stopping illicit items entering custody?

All prison posts are kindly sponsored by Prison Consultants Limited who offer a complete service from arrest to release for anyone facing prison and their family. Prison Consultants have no editorial influence on the contents of this site. solutions@russellwebster.com