Prisons & Probation – Latest News:
- Tue, 01 Jul 2025 05:00:07 +0000: Tech firms suggested placing trackers under offenders’ skin at meeting with justice secretary - Prisons and probation | The Guardian
Exclusive: Shabana Mahmood told companies she wanted ‘deeper collaboration’ to tackle prisons crisis
Tracking devices inserted under offenders’ skin, robots assigned to contain prisoners and driverless vehicles used to transport them were among the measures proposed by technology companies to ministers who are gathering ideas to tackle the crisis in the UK justice system.
The proposals were made at a meeting of more than two dozen tech companies in London last month, chaired by the justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood, minutes seen by the Guardian show. Amid an acute shortage of prison places and probation officers under severe strain, ministers told the companies they wanted ideas for using wearable technologies, behaviour monitoring and geolocation to create a “prison outside of prison”.
Continue reading... - Mon, 30 Jun 2025 16:44:23 +0000: Robin Masefield obituary - Prisons and probation | The Guardian
My colleague Robin Masefield, who has died aged 73 of pancreatic cancer, was the director general of the Northern Ireland Prison Service from 2004 to 2010. His 40-year career in public service was largely focused on Northern Ireland, where he led policing reform, and the creation of a statutory framework for parades.
He was the first graduate recruited into the newly established Northern Ireland Office in 1973, from where his strong connection to the island of Ireland began. By 1983, he had spent several years abroad working for the Hong Kong government, where he helped draft the first green paper on widening local government representation. A subsequent role in the Home Office in the mid-1980s introduced Robin to prisons and criminal justice reform.
Continue reading... - Wed, 25 Jun 2025 16:15:39 +0000: Starmer dismisses welfare cuts revolt as ‘noises off’ and defends his leadership – as it happened - Prisons and probation | The Guardian
This live blog is now closed, you can read more on this story here
Kemi Badenoch has said it would be “pathetic” for Keir Starmer to postpone the vote on the UC and Pip bill. She posted this on social media, as a comment on the tweet from Kitty Donaldson. (See 11.22am.)
This is pathetic. Starmer must not pull this bill. We’ve offered to support him in the national interest if our reasonable conditions are met.
If he pulls the bill, it proves Labour isn’t serious about fiscal responsibility. If Labour backbenchers are too scared to deliver welfare changes that make only limited savings, how can they solve bigger problems like the national debt?
There is a view forming among ministers and PPS’ that the government will have to pull the welfare bill.
However, the message from the centre is very clear it will go ahead regardless of the opposition from MPs because the issue has to be forced.
There is widespread speculation in Government that No 10 will pull the entire welfare bill before the end of Wednesday, sources told The i Paper
Continue reading... - Tue, 24 Jun 2025 10:04:38 +0000: Man who developed psychosis after being jailed on indefinite term moved to hospital - Prisons and probation | The Guardian
Family of Thomas White, who has been in prison for 13 years, say IPP sentence is ‘psychiatric abuse’
A prisoner driven to psychosis after being jailed for more than a decade under an indeterminate sentence has been moved to a hospital for a treatment after a six-year battle by his family and supporters.
Thomas White was sentenced to a minimum of two years in custody under the imprisonment for public protection (IPP) scheme in 2012 for stealing a mobile phone, but remains in prison over a decade later.
Continue reading... - Wed, 18 Jun 2025 21:10:02 +0000: Pepper spray use in youth prisons irresponsible amid racial disparities, watchdog warns - Prisons and probation | The Guardian
Head of monitoring boards urges justice secretary to suspend rollout of Pava in England and Wales
The rollout of synthetic pepper spray for use to incapacitate jailed children is “wholly irresponsible” while black and minority prisoners are more likely to be subjected to force than white inmates, a watchdog has said.
Elisabeth Davies, the national chair of the Independent Monitoring Boards, whose members operate in every prison in England and Wales, said the justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood, should pause the use of Pava spray in youth offending institutions (YOIs) until ministers had addressed the disproportionate use of force on minority prisoners.
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