Tag: Ministry of Justice

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 29 September 2023.

Overhaul of learning behind bars to include specialist teaching staff, apprenticeships and digital reading tools.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 25 September 2023.

The Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor has announced the interim appointment of Sue McAllister as His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Probation.

The Secretary of State and Lord Chancellor, Rt Hon. Alex Chalk KC MP, has announced the appointment of Sue McAllister as the interim Chief Inspector of Probation (HMCI Probation). This interim appointment will commence on 1 October 2023 and end on 1 March 2024 or when a substantive post holder is appointed, whichever is earlier.

The recruitment of HMCI Probation is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and this interim appointment has been made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP) is the independent inspector of probation and youth offending services in England and Wales. The Inspectorate offers independent scrutiny of the quality of work undertaken with individual offenders to seek to improve outcomes for individuals and communities.

Biography

From 2018 to 2022, Sue McAllister was Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO). During that time, Mrs McAllister led two independent investigations into deaths of babies in custody. The PPO’s report on the death of Baby A at HMP Bronzefield was published in September 2021, and the report on the death of Baby B at HMP Styal was published in January 2022..

Prior to becoming PPO, Mrs McAllister was the Director of Reducing Offending and Prison Service Director General, Department of Justice (DOJ), Northern Ireland. She has held senior policy roles including Head of Public Sector Bids Unit at the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), and operational management roles in HM Prison Service as Prison Governor, Head of Security Group and Area Manager for the West Midlands.

Mrs McAllister also led an independent investigation into a serious disturbance at an Immigration Removal Centre for the Home Office and was a member of an independent review into a sensitive death in custody.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 25 September 2o23.

The Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor has announced the Royal reappointment of Charlie Taylor as His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons.

The Secretary of State and Lord Chancellor, Rt Hon. Alex Chalk KC MP, has announced the Royal reappointment of Charlie Taylor as the Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMCI Prisons) for a second term of 3 years. His reappointment will run from 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2026.

Mr Taylor’s original appointment tenure commenced on 1 November 2020 for a 3 year term to run until 31 October 2023.

The recruitment of HMCI Prisons is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and this reappointment has been made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons is an independent inspectorate. The Chief Inspector reports directly to Ministers but operates independently of government and the services under its scrutiny. The Chief Inspector has a duty to report on conditions for and treatment of those in prison, young offender institutions, secure training centres, immigration detention facilities, and court custody suites, customs custody facilities and military detention in England and Wales.

Charlie Taylor Biography

Charlie Taylor was initially appointed as HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in 2020 and was re-appointed in 2023. From 2017-2020 Mr Taylor was Chair of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales. Before taking up this role he led the government’s review of the youth justice system. Mr Taylor was Chief Executive of the National College of Teaching and Leadership from its launch in 2013. He is a former head teacher of The Willows, a school for children with complex behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. He was the Coalition Government’s expert adviser on behaviour until 2012 and produced reviews for the Department for Education on alternative provision (for children excluded from mainstream schools) and attendance in schools.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 22 September 2023.

The most vulnerable in society will be better protected as reforms to simplify and streamline lasting powers of attorney are given Royal Assent.

These legal agreements enable a person to grant decision making powers about their care, treatment or financial affairs to another person if they lose mental capacity.

The Powers of Attorney Act fires the starting gun on bringing the existing paper-based process online for the first time. The changes, when introduced, will make the system quicker, easier to access and more secure for the thousands of people who make and rely on a lasting power of attorney every year.

The legislation, which was introduced by Stephen Metcalfe MP and supported by the government, will also strengthen existing fraud protection by allowing checks on the identity of those applying for a lasting power of attorney.

The new online system and the additional safeguards are now being developed by the Office of the Public Guardian. Extensive testing will need to be carried out to ensure the process is simple to use, works as intended and is secure. More information on when it will be available will be published in the coming months.

Justice Minister Mike Freer said:

Millions of people rely on a lasting power of attorney to make sure their care and finances are taken care of should they lose mental capacity.

This Act allows us to modernise the service, introduce new safeguards from fraud and abuse and make it simpler to give people peace of mind their interests will be protected.

The number of registered lasting power of attorneys has increased drastically in recent years to more than 6 million but the process of making one retains many paper-based features that are over 30 years old. Every year, the Office of the Public Guardian handles more than 19 million pieces of paper as a result of their offline system.

The digitalisation will speed up registration time by picking up errors earlier and allowing them to be fixed online rather than having to wait for documents to be posted back and forth between the applicant and the Office of the Public Guardian as currently happens.

An improved paper process will also be introduced for those unable to use the internet.

These reforms build on the success of the ‘Use an LPA’ service which was launched in 2020 which allowed organisations like banks to digitally and securely check the registration of a lasting power of attorney instantaneously. This sped up a process that previously took weeks to conclude while paper copies were shared.

Amy Holmes, the Public Guardian for England and Wales, said:

This is a significant milestone in our plans to modernise lasting powers of attorney and we are one step closer to a quicker, more secure and straightforward service.

Our focus now is on continuing to develop, test and refine a new online platform and improved paper process to ensure we provide a service that will include additional safeguards and suit the needs of all our customers.

In the meantime, the Office of the Public Guardian has increased the number of staff processing applications and the teams are now registering around 19,000 more lasting powers of attorney a month than before the pandemic.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 22 September 2023.

The Lord Chancellor has reappointed Ronnie Alexander, Joyce Cullen, Marcus Killick and Leo O’Reilly as non-executive members of the Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements (IMA).

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 22 September 2023.

Offenders will be put to work to pay back the communities they have harmed as part of a week-long nationwide clean-up of Britain’s coastline.

Plastic and litter will be removed by offenders wearing high-visibility jackets emblazoned with “Community Payback” on beaches up-and-down the country, as part of the Marine Conservation Society’s annual Great British Beach Clean.

This builds on the government’s commitment to give communities a greater say in how justice is served.

The Probation Service has partnered with several major organisations with a focus on outdoor unpaid work projects to improve the quality of life of neighbourhoods blighted by anti-social behaviour and allow the public to see justice being done.

Its work with the Marine Conservation Society will see offenders carry out more than a thousand hours of unpaid work in just ten days in coastal areas including Kent, Northumberland and Norfolk.

In March, the government published its Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan. Focused on stamping out these crimes, the plan sets out how Community Payback can make offenders pay for their crimes.

Prisons and Probation Minister, Damian Hinds, visited Hayling Island in Hampshire to see offenders putting in hours of hard graft for the benefit of the local community.

Prisons and Probation Minister, Damian Hinds, said:

The government is coming down hard on the anti-social behaviour which makes other people’s lives a misery.

We want offenders visibly atoning for their crimes in a way which benefits the law-abiding majority and this work also helps protect our beautiful coastline.

The Marine Conversation Society will log the recovered rubbish and use the data gathered to help them understand the main pollutants and focus their fight to protect the British coastline.

Jennifer Mitchell, Director of Engagement and Communications at the Marine Conservation Society, said:

We’re pleased to see offenders making a difference to their communities and environment by contributing to our work.

Clearing our beaches of litter is not only a great way to give back to society, it also helps us tackle ocean pollution by gathering vital data.

Information on what is washing up on our beaches, like wet wipes or plastic bottles, is analysed by scientists and helps us campaign for change for cleaner seas and a healthier planet.

Each year courts hand down more than 50,000 Unpaid Work requirements to punish offenders for crimes including theft, criminal damage and alcohol-related incidents.

The government is investing up to £93 million extra into Community Payback which will see offenders completing millions of unpaid work each year to improve the environment and revitalise our towns and cities.

This year marks 50 years since the launch of the first Community Payback project after the first unpaid work placement was ordered by a judge at Nottingham Crown Court on 2 January 1973.

Notes to editors:

• The Marine Conservation Society’s Great British Beach Clean runs from 15 – 24 September.
• The Anti-social Behaviour Action Plan sets out the Government’s approach to stamping out anti-social behaviour and restoring the right of people to feel safe in, and proud of, their local area.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 15 September 2023.

Lincoln Crown Court opens its doors to celebrate 200 years of serving the community and delivering justice.

Families will get a once-in-a-life-time opportunity to try on wigs and gowns, hear how judges prepare for cases, and even make the walk from the dock to the cells at Lincoln Crown Court as the historic site opens its doors to celebrate 200 years of serving the community and delivering justice.

Residents will be invited into the historic court building on Saturday (16 September 2023) to explore its rich history, relive criminal trials over the past 2 centuries, and take a behind-the-scenes look at how justice is done.

Court hearings have taken place on the same site in the grounds of Lincoln Castle as far back as the 11th century. Building on the current Crown Court building began in 1823, designed by Sir Robert Smirke, with a grand jury room and 2 courtrooms to hear criminal and civil cases.

In March 1872, the court held the trial of William Frederick Horry who was convicted of murdering his wife and became the first person in the UK to be executed by the long drop method of hanging.

The building still hears criminal cases from across Lincolnshire today and the open day will offer a unique hands-on opportunity to take in its courtrooms, defendant dock, cells, and jury rooms. Visitors can also watch a mock trial and sentencing to understand how the court continues to deliver justice.

Judges, magistrates and court staff will be on hand to answer questions, and families can speak to Probation Service and Crown Prosecution Service teams about how they each play a vital role right across the modern-day justice system.

Justice Minister Mike Freer, said:

As well as a world-leading justice system, we have a truly historic courts estate with fascinating histories and stories to tell.

We are investing millions of pounds every year to ensure our court buildings are fit for the future and reflect our high standards, while also preserving their unique and incredibly important history.

Nick Goodwin, CEO of HM Courts and Tribunals Service, said:

We are delighted to be opening our doors to the public to talk about the rich history of Lincoln Crown Court, show off this impressive building and the brilliant people who work there, and share all we do here at HMCTS to make sure justice is delivered.

Lincoln Crown Court will be open to visitors from 10am on Saturday 16 September.

The open day follows an announcement from the government that court buildings across the country will benefit from £220 million for essential modernisation and repair work across the next 2 years to minimise disruptions caused by old buildings.

Improvements will maintain the heritage of the courts and tribunals estate, while ensuring it is equipped with the latest technology to deliver modern justice as well as improving accessibility for all users.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 5 September 2023.

The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of 15 lay panel members of disciplinary tribunals to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 1 September 2023.

More than 750 graduates have now swapped university halls for prison walls as demand for the Unlocked Graduates scheme reached new heights.

Unlocked Graduates, which encourages the best and brightest university leavers to become prison officers, is now receiving 30 applications per place on average. Since the scheme launched in 2016, successful candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds have worked with 20,000 prisoners in 37 prisons across England and Wales.

Speaking at the Summer Institute event for trainees at Leeds Trinity University on Tuesday (29 August 2023), the Lord Chancellor, Alex Chalk, thanked new officers for their hard work which will help protect the public and drive down the £18 billion a year cost of reoffending.

The rise in applications is in part due to the positive reputation of the programme – 100 per cent of participants who complete feedback surveys rated the training as good or above and 100 per cent of Governors that Unlocked work with want another cohort.

Earlier this month new statistics showed the overall number of prison officers has increased by 700 since June last year. They will join up to 5,000 extra officers in private and public prisons by the mid-2020s being recruited through the Prison Service’s largest ever recruitment drive and a major campaign beginning later this year.

The campaign comes on top of a recent 7% pay rise for frontline officers to reward current staff for their vital work. The increase adds to a major boost in starting salaries in recent years, which now stands at £30,902 compared to £22,293 in 2019.

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

Becoming a prison officer is a hugely important and rewarding career, protecting the public and changing lives for the better.

It is encouraging to see so much talent joining our prison service, and we will build on this by continuing to improve pay and by launching our largest ever recruitment drive.

A brand-new cohort of more than 100 aspiring prison officers attended the event marking the end of a 6 week intensive training programme, preparing them for their first day on the prison wings. This is the first step of a wider two-year Graduate Development Programme.

When they arrive on prison landings the recruits will be doing more than just ensuring safety and security, many will support prisoners into employment which is vital in breaking the cycle of crime. Thanks in part to the hard work of prison staff, the number of ex-offenders who have been successfully steered into jobs within 6 months post release has more than doubled from 14% to 30% since April 2021.

As a result of programmes such as Unlocked Graduates, being a prison officer is an attractive graduate profession in the UK alongside more traditional careers such as teaching or law.

Natasha Porter OBE, Founder and CEO of Unlocked Graduates, said:

Since 2017, Unlocked Graduates has recruited, trained and supported over 750 high-flying graduates to become prison officers relentlessly focused on reducing reoffending.

High quality prisons with excellent prison officers make our streets and society safer. We want to make sure the best people join the prison service. Through our graduate programme, top talent can develop incredible leadership skills while working to reduce crime. It’s fantastic to see so many people are competing for a place on Unlocked Graduates, and I continue to be very excited about the impact the incredible people who join our programme are able to have. We can only achieve this level of success thanks to the support of the Ministry of Justice, and we are hugely grateful to the Lord Chancellor for visiting our training.

Former Unlocked Graduate Kat Gartland added:

Before I came across Unlocked, I’d never considered a career in the prison service. Now, I can’t see myself doing anything else.

Every day I know I am contributing towards breaking cycles of reoffending and helping those in my care. Applying for Unlocked Graduates was the best decision I’ve made – I got the chance to develop as a leader from day one, alongside a master’s and lifelong friends. I’d encourage everyone to apply.

Participants in the programme are supported and developed through intensive mentoring and a programme of study that results in a Master’s degree. They complete this while taking on the full duties of a frontline Band 3 Prison Officer. Graduates also have the opportunity to input into policy and create lasting change across prisons.

To learn more about the Unlocked Graduates scheme and apply, visit Unlocked Graduates (unlockedgrads.org.uk). For wider information on the role of a prison officer, go to https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/prison-officer.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 1 September 2023.

Hundreds of victims of domestic abuse will be better protected as perpetrators who still pose a risk once they are released from prison will be made to wear electronic monitoring tags.

Through the scheme, which will launch in the East and West Midlands, any offender who poses a threat to a former partner or their children can now be forced to wear an electronic tag, protecting victims from further trauma.

Offenders who are tagged can be banned from going within a certain distance of a victim’s home, with the tags monitoring their whereabouts or making them abide by a strict curfew. Offenders who breach these rules face being returned to prison.

Up to 500 prison leavers will, for the first time, be made to wear a GPS or curfew tag as part of an initial pilot which is expected to be rolled out across England and Wales next year.

The government has also announced today that over 2,700 victims have been protected from further harassment from their imprisoned abusers thanks to a Prison Service scheme launched last summer.

The Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service ensures offenders are unable to dial a victim’s number from prison phones or send out threatening letters to their address. Its relaunch last year through a simple online form and greater publicity has spared thousands from threats and abuse.

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Alex Chalk, said:

Survivors of domestic abuse show great strength and bravery in coming forward, and it is right that every tool is used to protect them from further harm.

The tagging of prison leavers at risk of committing further domestic abuse is a further protection we are introducing to help victims rebuild their lives and feel safe in their communities.

Louise, a survivor of domestic violence, said:

The thought of my abuser trying to make contact – either from behind bars or once released – was one that left me feeling anxious and powerless.

These measures provide reassurance that we as survivors are being better protected from these efforts to intimidate and terrorise us.

More than 3,000 reports have been made to the Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service since its relaunch in June 2022 – representing a 4,779% increase compared to the old offline scheme. Of the 2,700 unique users who have filed reports, 93% are female with many being victims of domestic violence.

The service has also been used to disrupt criminal activity, such as the use and possession of illicit mobile phones by prisoners from behind bars. A recent case saw a prisoner’s sentence extended by 30 months, as a result of intelligence submitted via the online portal.

Crucially, the scheme allows domestic violence charities and other support services to file reports on behalf of the victims, saving them from having to think about their abuser.

The introduction of the domestic abuse tagging pilot is part of the government’s wider monitoring programme which was extended in 2021 to include two world-first projects, tagging thieves, burglars and robbers using location data to pin them to the scenes of further crimes and imposing alcohol monitoring tags on offenders post-custody.

Should an individual breach their licence conditions, such as entering an exclusion zone or breaching a curfew, then the offender faces going back behind bars.

The Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales, Nicole Jacobs, says:

I welcome announcements from government today to tackle perpetrators of domestic abuse. The domestic abuse electronic tags pilot is a positive step forwards in protecting victims.

By blocking perpetrators from contacting victims, the Unwanted Prisoner Contact scheme sets an important standard that the criminal justice system will not be used to further domestic abuse, making a difference for survivor’s safety, recovery, and freedom from abuse.

For too long, the onus has been on victims of domestic abuse to protect themselves from harm. I will continue to work with government to ensure a whole suite of measures is in place to protect victims and prevent domestic abuse, including improving probation practice and the use of evidence-based perpetrator interventions.

Valerie Wise, National Domestic Abuse Lead at the charity Victim Support said:

Unwanted contact from offenders is frightening and stressful – it is often used to intimidate survivors and continue campaigns of abuse.

Early indications that survivors are making use of this service is positive news. We hope it will continue to make it easier and quicker to stop this behaviour, so that survivors can move on and rebuild their lives.

These measures build on the government’s intention to end violence against women and girls, building on the landmark Domestic Abuse Act which introduced a range of measures to protect victims. This includes the introduction of new offences for non-fatal strangulation and image-based abuse and banning the cross-examination by abusers in the family courts.

The government has also quadrupled funding for victim services and recruiting hundreds more Independent Domestic Violence Advisers.