Green Paper Response – 24th May
With all the focus on AV and Osama Bin Laden this week, criminal justice has been slightly quieter in the media. However,the response to the Green Paper submissions will be on 24th May I am told [...]
Third National Commission of Enquiry
Last Tuesday we took our ‘Community or Custody’ panel of experts to visit the Leicester Drugs and Alcohol community sentence which is run by the Criminal Justice Drugs Team. It is an excellent [...]
Majority think prison isn’t working
The Telegraph reports on a ‘major survey’ which reveals that the majority of people believe that prison isn’t working (Report, 3 April). They are right. Too often our prisons take [...]
Today’s Budget
There is a real risk that swingeing budget cuts will cause a rise in reoffending. The Government’s plans to reduce prison numbers must be coupled with investment in robust community [...]
StartHere – a ‘no-brainer organisation’
Very busy day on Wednesday attending the Revolving Doors Agency conference – excellent day which has helped MJW focus on its next enquiry in July, which is around mental health. Then went [...]
Last week’s NAO report highly critical of short term prison sentences
The National Audit Office report “Managing offenders on short custodial sentences” quite clearly demonstrates the urgent need to consider the cost benefit and effectiveness of locking up [...]
Beware ever thinking that change can be free
This weekend has seen a flurry of articles around the state of the Big Society. Much criticism is being thrust at David Cameron’s flagship – is he threatening the entire basis of his big society [...]
Don’t dismantle what works
The conversation everywhere is the green paper and payment by results. Never before has it been so important for the voluntary sector, probation, police and yes, the private sector to form [...]
Sentencing: one size does not fit all
Last week saw the publication by the Policy Exchange of their latest report, Reforming Community Sentences. This resulted in my debut on the Today Programme on Thursday– a spot I shared with [...]
At last, consensus on all three fronts
With the party conferences behind us and a new leader of the labour party, it will be interesting to see if there emerges a genuine consensus in the arena of criminal justice. Never before have [...]
National Enquiry speeds ahead with a second session in Bradford
As part of our ongoing commission of enquiry, we visited the Together Women Programme in Bradford yesterday. Our panellists plus journalists were given the opportunity to spend time at the [...]
