Howard League Blog
Informal comments from the charity
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The decades-long injustice of the IPP sentence must end
Today, the report stage of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in the House of Lords comes to an end. The amended bill will now go to a third reading in the House of Lords, followed by a “ping pong” stage where both Houses of Parliament must agree on the wording of the Bill. Read more
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A message of hope for 2022
As we come to the end of another challenging year, I would like to thank all Howard League members for your support in 2021. Christmas is a difficult period for many, and particularly so for people in prison and their families. The calls this week to our legal advice line, from children and young adults, are a stark reminder of how life inside is very different from life outside at this time of year. Read more
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The Prisons Strategy White Paper
On Tuesday, the government published its delayed Prisons Strategy White Paper. It’s not all terrible. Some of the ideas in the White Paper could begin to address prisons’ dire record on safety, education, work and resettlement, and the Howard League has long supported more autonomy for prison governors. However, the overall strategic vision is one which will send more people to prison every year, compounding the very problems that the White Paper seeks to solve. Read more
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A debate on the IPP sentence that showed Parliament at its best
In Monday’s committee stage debate on the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, Members of the House of Lords discussed a series of amendments on the sentence of imprisonment for public protection (IPP). The Bill has been rightly viewed as an example of penal policy at its worst – punitive, illiberal and unevidenced. In contrast, Monday’s debate showed Parliament at its best. Read more
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Thinking differently about the future
It is a privilege and pleasure to have completed my first week as Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, following in the footsteps of Frances Crook. Read more
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Frances Crook says ‘thank you’
This is my last day as chief executive of the Howard League. Read more
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A 10-point action plan to change prisons and build safer communities
I have written to the new Secretary of State for Justice, Dominic Raab, with ideas for a radical plan of action, as we understand he is preparing for publication of a White Paper on the future of prisons. Change is needed in a system that is antiquated and failing victims, the taxpayer and perpetrators. Read more
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Making Black Lives Matter in the Criminal Justice System
Two months ago, the Howard League published a practical guide for antiracist lawyers. The guide outlines some of the discrimination faced by Black defendants within the criminal justice system and wider society. Read more
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Vaccination in prisons
When the vaccination programme started to be rolled out, we urged the Ministry of Justice to implement a prison-by-prison strategy. This is not what happened, and now it seems that the various authorities and experts are blaming each other for the low take-up. Read more
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New prisons are not being built with rising temperatures in mind
The climate is changing. Some estimates indicate that the UK could experience summer days of 40 degrees. New prisons are not being built with this in mind. Environmental claims are being inflated and the huge expansion in prison-building will be environmentally damaging, as well as being unsuitable and possibly dangerous for prisoners and staff. Read more
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