25th May 2017
Penal Reform International have launched their Global Prison Trends 2017 report in which they have analysed certain trends that have commonality across global penal institutions. They have found some progressive advancements and positive trends but they have also found some trends that are a cause of concern most notably the increase in female prisoners. They report a 50 percent increase in female prisoners since 2010 referencing data from 2015 which shows that the female prison population is increasing at a faster rate than the male prison population.
1st May 2017
The Council of Europe have produced a 'Compendium of Conventions, Recommendations and Resolutions relating to prisons, community sanctions and measures' which contains rules, regulations and guidelines supporting European best practice on prison administration and community sanctions.
22nd March 2017
The Council of Europe have published their Report: SPACE I Annual Penal Statistics in Europe for 2015, containing a detailed breakdown of penological trends across Europe.
10th February 2017
The NPM in the UK has published a report Isolation in detention (2017) that sets out clear guidance in relation to the practice of isolation in detention and prison settings. The guidance aims to ensure that those subjected to isolation are not adversely impacted by it. The guidelines set out specific standards which should be followed to minimise the effects of isolation on various groups of people including children in custody. Research shows significant differences between the impact of isolation on adults compared to children due to the cognitive development of children and their perceptions of time which differ from those of adults.
10th January 2017
A bulletin has been released by the Office of the Prison and Probation Ombudsman (PPO). This 'Learning Lessons' bulletin explores the care and management of transgender individuals while in prison.
22nd December 2016
The Ministry of Justice has just published a comprehensive review of the Youth Justice System in England and Wales. Published in December 2016, the report outlines key issues and challenges within the system and a change in approach towards youth justice in the UK, moving away from punitive responses and towards diversion and treatment. The central themes in the recommendations are for a devolved youth justice system and a focus on education.
7th December 2016
The 30 most overcrowded prisons in England and Wales are twice as likely to be rated as failing by the prison service compared with prisons overall, a new analysis published with the latest annual edition of the Prison Reform Trust’s Bromley Briefings Prison Factfile, kindly supported by the Bromley Trust, reveals.
6th December 2016
A series of reports have been published by the Howard League for Penal Reform and Centre for Mental Health as part of a joint programme aimed at saving lives in prison. The work explores how police, the judiciary, prisons and healthcare providers can collaborate to prevent people from taking their own lives in prison.
3rd November 2016
The White Paper on Prison Safety and Reform was presented to Parliament by the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (LCSSJ) Rt. Hon. Elizabeth Truss on 3rd November 2016.
26th October 2016
David Strang, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland (HMCIPS), published his third Annual Report, for the years 2015-2016, on 26th October 2016.
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.