This paper examines the evidence for the effectiveness of prison and programmes in the community aimed at reducing reoffending and some of the claims and counter-claims for whether “prison works”.
The Prisons (Property) Bill would allow a governor or director of a prison to destroy unauthorised property found in prisons, or dispose of it in other ways including selling it. It has its report stage and third reading on 30 November 2012.
This Private Members' Bill, which has government support,would allow a governor or director of a prison to destroy unauthorised property found in prisons, or dispose of it in other ways.
This note explains the civil recovery scheme designed to prevent criminals profiting from accounts of their crimes (for example in an autobiography or television or newspaper interviews). It also looks at the rules preventing serving prisoners from publishing such information and at the relevant media codes of practice.
The UK holds the Chairmanship of the Council of Europe until mid-May 2012. The UK has Government supported proposals to reform the European Court of Human Rights contained in the Interlaken and Izmir Declarations and has proposed in the draft Brighton Declaration that more account be taken of the principles of subsidiarity and the margin of appreciation.
The Commons is due to consider Lords Amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill on Tuesday 17 April 2012. This note draws attention to the principal changes, additions and deletions that were made in the Lords.
This note provides background information about the prohibition on using intercept evidence in terrorism trials. Subject to a limited number of exceptions, evidence from intercepted communications or any related communications data is inadmissible in legal proceedings under provisions currently set out in section 17 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. It is important to note that the bar on intercept extends beyond terrorism cases (and concerns have been expressed in respect of coroner's inquests for example). However, this note only focuses on the use of intercept material in counter-terrorism proceedings.
This is a report on the House of Commons committee stage of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill. It complements Research Paper 11/53. In the Bill’s remaining stages, it is likely that the areas that will prove most contentious will be the restrictions on legal aid, the introduction of new offences and possible Government amendments on squatting and self-defence and sentences of imprisonment for public protection.
This Research Paper has been prepared for the Commons stages of the Police (Detention and Bail) Bill, which is being fast-tracked and is due to undergo all of its remaining Commons stages on 7 July 2011. The Bill would reverse the effect of the High Court’s recent decision in the Hookway case, in which it held that the “detention clock” limiting the period that the police can hold a suspect for without charge continued to run when the suspect was released on bail
This Research Paper has been prepared for the second reading of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill. The Bill covers a diverse range of issues, including legal aid; litigation funding and costs; sentencing; bail, remand and release on licence; prisoners’ pay and employment; out of court disposals and knives.
This Note looks at some of the criticism of the European Court of Human Rights, in particular the procedure for selecting and electing judges to the Court, the quality and experience of those judges and proposals for reforming the selection criteria and method of appointment.
This note discusses some of the controversy surrounding the recategorisation of prisoners to category D and examines what is known about the disturbance at HM Prison Ford, which is subject to two ongoing investigations.
In 2010, the Legal Services Commission held a tendering exercise for new contracts for crime and civil legal aid work. This resulted in a significant drop in the number of firms awarded contracts for family and social welfare work. A judicial review brought by the Law Society led to those contracts being quashed.