Tag: Ministry of Justice

The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of Johanna Robinson as a non-judicial member, with experience of the promotion of the welfare of victims of crime, for 3 years from 5 October 2023.

The Sentencing Council (SC) was established under Section 118(1) of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 to promote greater transparency and consistency in sentencing, whilst maintaining the independence of the judiciary. The SC’s responsibilities include: developing sentencing guidelines and monitoring their use; assessing the impact of guidelines on sentencing practice; and promoting the understanding of and increasing public confidence in sentencing and the criminal justice system.

The appointment of non-judicial SC members is made by the Lord Chancellor after consulting the Lord Chief Justice.

The appointment of non-judicial SC members are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and recruitment processes comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Biography

Ms Robinson was appointed, in September 2022, as one of the National Advisers on Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence for the Welsh Government. She provides expert perspective to the development and implementation of policy across the Welsh Government; working with victims and survivors to ensure their experience informs policy development. From 2016 – 2018, she served as Head of Victims Services for Gwent Police and, from 2013 – 2016, as the National Development Manager for The Survivors Trust.

The Lord Chancellor confirmed plans to bring forward legislation to keep rapists, as well as the most serious sexual offenders, behind bars for the entirety of their sentences, making sure perpetrators of this awful crime do not walk out of prison before the last day of their custodial term.

This builds on action already taken by the government to keep those who pose the greatest danger to society locked up and off our streets, including ending the automatic halfway release for serious sexual and violent offenders and making whole life sentences the default sentence for the most heinous types of murder.

The Lord Chancellor told the Commons that in order for the government to continue to put the worst offenders away for longer, we must think again about how we make the best use of our prisons and ensure there are always enough places to lock up dangerous criminals. These reforms must include giving the lowest risk offenders the greatest chance to turn their lives around.

The Lord Chancellor set how despite the overall reoffending rates falling by almost a quarter since 2010, the public are being failed by short prison sentences that result in some of the lowest risk offenders getting trapped in a revolving prison door. He pointed to the fact these short-term sentences often lead to offenders who could otherwise be turned away from crime losing their jobs and family ties, making them more likely to reoffend.

He noted that reoffending rates are far higher for offenders in prison for under 12 months, and higher again for those in for under six months. While the overall reoffending rate is 25 percent, the rate for people who spend fewer than 12 months in prison is over 50 percent. This goes up to 58% for those who serve sentences of six months of less.

This is also far higher than the 23% for a suspended sentence order with requirements, 38% without requirements, or 34% for those given a community order.

In order to end the merry-go-round of reoffending the government will legislate that there should be a presumption against prison sentences of less than 12 months. Instead of going to prison these offenders can be punished in the community, repaying their debt to society by cleaning up our neighbourhoods and scrubbing graffiti off walls. By remaining in the community these offenders will also be able to better access the drug rehab, mental healthcare and other support that properly addresses the root causes of their offending.

The Lord Chancellor also announced a doubling of the number of GPS tags available to the courts to help them manage offenders in the community. This technology can help make sure offenders go to work and have their freedom curtailed by monitoring with tough curfews of 7am to 7pm on weekdays and up to 20 hours a day on weekends.

Judges and magistrates will still be able to send offenders to prison for less than 12 months if deemed appropriate, such as prolific repeat offenders, as well as anyone unwilling to obey the strict requirements of the sentence – such as breaking curfews, cutting off a GPS tag or breaching a court order to clean up the neighbourhoods they’ve damaged.

During his statement, the Justice Secretary also updated Parliament on our plans to build enough prison places for future demand. He announced up to £400m for more prison places, enough to buy 800 new rapid deployment cells, and 35,000 cells will be refurbished across the estate to bring them up to modern standards.

He also set out new plans for £30m of funding to allow the Prison Service to quickly identify and purchase land in 2024 for new prisons.

This is on top of the government’s commitment to build 20,000 new prison places, the biggest expansion in 100 years. Over 5,500 of these are already built, with a further 3,000 expected to be ready in the next two years.

To help manage the prison population further a new Annual Report will be laid in Parliament setting out how the demands on prison places and how they will be met.

Further reforms that were outlined today include:

• Stepping up work to remove thousands of foreign prisoners by deporting them earlier and agreeing more transfer agreements with other countries
• Legislating to allow prisoners to be held in overseas prisons
• Reviewing the incentives around early guilty pleas, to save the courts time and spare victims the ordeal of giving evidence in court
• Looking at options to tackle the injustice of the now abolished Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence and how the licence period could be reduced to restore greater proportionality to the IPP sentence

The Lord Chancellor also acknowledged how the pandemic, combined with last year’s barristers’ strike, had impacted the justice system and put pressure on our prison estate. This has contributed to around 6,000 more prisoners being held on remand in prison than before the pandemic.

Despite bringing online 100 places per week this year – the fastest living in memory – to keep up with this unprecedented demand, pressure remains.

The Lord Chancellor confirmed that in order make sure we have the prison places we need to lock up the most dangerous offenders and to ensure safety in the prison estate, he has agreed to use an existing power to allow the prison service to move some less serious offenders on to licence a few days before their automatic release point.

The Prison Service will exclude offenders who do not meet strict criteria. Offenders will be supervised by the probation service and placed under strict licence conditions – which may include GPS tags and curfews. Breach of these conditions could lead to the offender being instantly recalled to prison for the entire second half of their sentence.

It will be limited to lower-level offenders and will not apply to anyone convicted of sexual or terrorist offences or serious violent offences.

Every single offender will be placed under strict licence conditions which provide a step-down from custody to living in the community. This may include having to live at an address approved by their probation officer, attending appointments, not entering certain areas such as postcodes and being made to wear an electronic tag where needed to manage them safely. Breach of these conditions could lead to the offender being recalled to custody – not just for 18 days, but the remainder of their sentence.

Those serving a sentence for any kind of sexual offence, terror offence or where the sentence is longer than four years for a serious violent offence will automatically be ruled out.

Such schemes have operated recently in France, Belgium, Ireland and California either due to overcrowding or due to the risk the Covid-19 pandemic presented to prisoners.

The package of reforms involves legislation being introduced and further details will be announced when parliamentary time allows.

The Interim Commissioner, who has been appointed for a term of 12 months, will play a vital role in scrutinising the Victims and Prisoners Bill as it progresses through Parliament, ensuring it serves its purpose to improve victims’ experiences of the criminal justice system.

Baroness Newlove brings a wealth of experience having previously served as Victims’ Commissioner between 2013 and 2019. During that time she laid the groundwork to enshrine victims’ rights in law through the Victims Strategy, improved their experiences in court and led important reviews on anti-social behaviour, the Victim’s Code, and reforms to the Parole system.

The Victims’ Commissioner promotes the interests of victims and witnesses, encourages good practice in their treatment, and regularly reviews the Code of Practice for Victims which sets out the services victims can expect to receive.

The decision to appoint a temporary Commissioner has been made to enable a new recruitment campaign to be launched which better reflects the new responsibilities the role will have once the Victims and Prisoners Bill is passed.

Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Alex Chalk said:

As a tireless advocate and campaigner for victims’ rights, there is no safer pair of hands than Baroness Newlove to hold this position as we recruit a permanent Victims’ Commissioner.

This role is vital in holding the Government and criminal justice agencies to account and being the voice for those affected by crime, and I very much look forward to working with her.

Interim Victims Commissioner, Baroness Newlove said:

I am honoured and it is a privilege to be re-appointed Victims’ Commissioner for the coming year.

I know first-hand the emotions and the pain victims experience on their journey through the criminal justice system.  I am also aware of the many challenges they have faced in recent years. That’s why I am so passionate about championing their cause. I want to see their needs and rights at the forefront of our criminal justice system.

My priority this year is to ensure the Victims and Prisoners Bill, currently making its way through Parliament, truly delivers for all victims. I want to see this Bill transform the victim experience so that victims feel heard, respected, and supported throughout the criminal justice process. This has long been my aspiration and this Bill is an opportunity to make it a reality.

I look forward to continuing my work as the voice of victims, working with Ministers, criminal justice agencies and the organisations supporting victims to promote best practice in victims’ services.

Baroness Newlove has relentlessly campaigned for victims since the tragic death of her husband Garry in 2007 who was murdered outside of their family home in an attack fuelled by alcohol and drugs. Following her 2 terms as Victims’ Commissioner, she has continued to promote the voices of victims in the House of Lords.

The Victims and Prisoners Bill which will shortly return to the House of Commons enshrines the principles of the Victims’ Code in law, meaning that where appropriate, victims will have the right to:

• challenge decisions which directly impact them, for example getting the CPS or police to review why their case has been dropped in the most serious cases like rape and domestic abuse
• receive information to help them understand the criminal justice process, such as on claiming compensation, how their case is progressing and its outcome
• access vital support services such as Independent Sexual Violence Advisors and Independent Domestic Violence Advisors
• have the opportunity to make their views heard, for example being able to ask to read out their Victim Personal Statements in court

The Victims and Prisoners Bill also bolsters the role of the Victims’ Commissioner by requiring authorities within their remit to publicly respond to their recommendations and set out the rationale for accepting or rejecting them.

A recruitment campaign has been launched to re-appoint the role of Independent Advisor to the Rape Review who will work alongside the Victims Commissioner.

Notes to editors

• Baroness Newlove will be in post from 17 October 2023 until 16 October 2024. A recruitment campaign for a permanent Victims Commissioner will be launched and is due to conclude in summer 2024
• The Victims and Prisoners Bill was introduced into Parliament on 29 March, 2023. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/victims-placed-at-heart-of-justice-system-under-radical-shakeup
• You can find a link to the application page for the role of Independent Advisor to the Rape Review on GOV,UK

Biography of the Victims’ Commissioner:

• Baroness Helen Newlove is a community reform campaigner and activist. She came to prominence after her husband Garry Newlove was murdered outside the family home by a gang of youths, all alcohol and drug-fuelled, in 2007. After his death she campaigned to tackle anti-social behaviour and the underage and binge drinking culture.
• Helen was given a peerage in the 2010 Dissolution Honours list and sits in the House of Lords as Baroness Newlove of Warrington in the County of Cheshire.
• She originally took up the post of Victims’ Commissioner on 4 March 2013, was reappointed for a second term in March 2016, and stepped down on 31 May 2019. She was succeeded by Dame Vera Baird.
• On 5 March 2021, Baroness Newlove took up the office of Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords.

Today’s announcement (29 September 2023) follows a critical inspection by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) last month which identified serious concerns resulting in an Urgent Notification.

As part of the Urgent Notification process, Ministers have 28 days to respond, setting out what immediate action is required to improve the running of this prison.

Extra prison staff will be deployed and the population temporarily reduced to bolster the safety and security of HMP Woodhill, with all staff given fresh training on how to tackle prisoner violence.

A prison-wide cell condition survey is underway to identify necessary repairs and industrial-grade cleaning will be carried out across the prison to improve the standard of living conditions.

An Education, Skills and Work Manager will be hired to improve prison education and enhance the quality of time that prisoners spend outside their cell.

Prisons Minister Damian Hinds said:

The findings at HMP Woodhill were incredibly serious which is why I am taking the necessary action to order immediate improvements.

Extra safety staff, specialised mental health support and appropriate living conditions will ensure that offenders have the support they need to turn their backs on crime and live law-abiding lives on release.

The government introduced the Urgent Notification process in 2017 to ensure immediate, urgent action was taken when necessary to address serious concerns identified by inspectors.

Learning in jails is to be completely transformed through the introduction of a new Prisoner Education Service as part of a renewed push to skill up offenders and protect the public (28 September 2023).

Evidence shows most prisoners have poor levels of education, with almost half of all offenders having been previously expelled from school and just a third having the expected maths and English ability of an 11-year-old.

The government’s new Prisoner Education Service will include:

• New Head of Education Skills and Work roles in every prison, working hand in glove with the Governor to provide tailored education plans to meet the needs of their jail
• The first ever prisoner apprenticeships in catering and construction through ground-breaking partnerships with Greene King, Kier and Clipper, with talks underway to open up apprenticeships in other industries.
• An extra £1.8 million invested to raise literacy rates as well as a new digital literacy app for prison leavers. Based on the ‘Turning Pages’ learning model, the app provides users with support from a dedicated coach and allows individuals to set personal goals such as learning to read a letter from their family or write a CV.
• New Neurodiversity Support Managers in every prison to support offenders with neurodivergent needs in accessing education, skills and work opportunities within the prison.
• Launching the Future Skills programme that will train up over 2,000 offenders over the next two years in vital industries such as scaffolding and electrics, before linking them up with employers in the local community and guaranteeing interviews on release.
• New contracts for education providers with tough targets on maths, English and vocational qualifications, and quality of delivery – to ensure every prisoner can finish their sentence with a basic level of English and maths.
• To further drive innovation and encourage creativity, prison governors in five prisons will be given increased freedoms on how they organise prison education, skills and work opportunities in their prison.

The new service is a cornerstone of the Prisons Strategy White Paper – and is the latest step in a package of measures to revolutionise learning behind bars and better prepare offenders for life on release.

This work to overhaul education in prisons is already well underway, and seeing positive results.

The number of prisoners in work following release more than doubling between 2021 and 2023, and in the past 6 months 4 prisons have received a ‘Good’ rating for education provision from Ofsted.

As part of this commitment the prison service is continuing to forge a closer working relationship with the education inspectorate, Ofsted, who have been delivering education sessions to prison leaders to ensure greater collaboration and clear expectations for prison education.

Prisons Minister Damian Hinds said:

Just as criminals must repay their debt to society, a forward-thinking prison system must give prisoners an alternative to the cycle of reoffending, and one of the best ways to do this is through education.

Our improved Prisoner Education Service with specialist staff, tougher targets and increased focus on employment will be more effective at cutting crime and keeping the public safe. I am grateful to Ofsted and the Chief Inspector of Prisons for their work championing this issue.

Ofsted’s Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman added:

I warmly welcome this investment to support the much-needed improvements in education, work and skills provision in prisons.

I look forward to continuing our work with the MOJ to make sure that education is a priority in prison, making a real difference to prisoners’ lives post release.

This announcement delivers on a key pledge in the Prisons Strategy White Paper to better protect the public by getting more prisoners skilled up while behind bars so they can find work on release – cutting crime, keeping the public safe, and reducing the £18 billion a year cost to society of reoffending.

Today’s announcement builds on work to get more prisoners skilled up while behind bars so they can find work on release, better protecting the public and reducing reoffending.

Ministers have already set up new Employment Advisory Boards – now up and running in all 92 resettlement prisons – which link up prisons to leading businesses, such as Co-op, Greggs and Iceland, to provide advice on how to get offenders into work on release.

Prisons have also continued to rollout Storybooks Dads and Mums, which helps over 5,000 prisoners a year record bedtime stories for their children, and rolled out new technology, including laptops for prisoners to take part in online courses with the Open University.

Today’s launch also coincides with the launch of the Future Skills Programme, running courses targeted at industry in prisons with direct links to employers. Courses will be delivered from autumn 2023 to spring 2025 in up to 23 prisons across England and Wales, reaching around 2,200 prisoners, who will be trained and offered guaranteed interviews for jobs on release in a variety of roles including scaffolders, electricians and case workers.