Could Brexit Bring Back the Rope?
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“I will not be silenced!” Faith Spear, beleaguered Chair of the IMB at Hollesley Bay speaks out // page 16 Cheaper pay phone call charges // page 36 “Do not destroy my “The Board has had “I suffer from a threefold the National Newspaper for Prisoners & Detainees country because I will kill signifi cant concerns about illness of a mental obses- you. I will kill you” cultural and leadership sion, a physical allergy a voice for prisoners since Philippines President-elect values at Medway STC” and a spiritual malady” June 2016 / Issue No. 204 / www.insidetime.org / A ‘not for profi t’ publication / ISSN 1743-7342 Rodrigo Duterte tells criminals Inside Time reports Alcoholics Anonymous An average of 60,000 copies distributed monthly Independently verifi ed by the Audit Bureau of Circulations Newsround // page 13 Comment // page 22 Information // page 32 l New “reform” Queens Speech: prisons to be opened, Biggest prison shake-up with emphasis on Could Brexit training, rehabilitation in England and Wales and education ‘since Victorian times’ l Governors of new prisons to have free- dom to agree service bring back contracts and establish their own boards l More statistics on post-release offending the rope? and employment rates to be published l Courts and tribunals to be modernised, © prisonimage.org A Britain with greater use of outside the My government will legislate to technology to reduce European Union reform prisons, to give individuals a delays would have no second chance HM The Queen Read more on page 17 brake on new populist demands for harsher punishments © Fotolia.com pubs in Birmingham to see incarcerate people fast enough Denis people gathering signatures no one should have any illu- “An exceptional firm Rahman Ravelli is a leading firm in serious, MacShane on a petition urging a referen- sions that judges constitute with exceptional people, heavyweight and complex crime cases. dum on capital punishment. one of the most reactionary Rahman Ravelli Solicitors groups of powerful men and is the leader in the field” If Britain were to leave the I have little doubt that such a women in Britain. The firm’s expertise, experience and strong European Union, the way populist plebiscite would have The Legal 500 proactive defending ensures the best possible would be open to restore cap- resulted in a vote to bring back Those in favour of Brexit are outcome. Its skilled, tenacious defence solicitors ital punishment which is cur- hanging. making play of a partial ruling “They are absolutely are among the UK’s most highly rated when it rently outlawed by the EU’s from the European Court of uncompromising in comes to criminal cases and restraint and Charter of Fundamental The judge who presided over Justice about the daughter-in- advancing the proper Rights agreed by the UK and the trial in 1974 of the six in- law of the Islamist Abu Hamza confiscation proceedings. interests of the client” other member states in 2000. nocent Irishmen who were who cannot be deported by the Chambers Legal Guide wrongfully convicted of the Home Secretary. Rahman Ravelli’s hard-won reputation has been So far, Boris Johnson and Birmingham pub bombings, earned in cases involving tax fraud, financial Nigel Farage have not used the which I covered as a young In fact, the idea of taking re- “Driven by the pursuit return of the rope as one of BBC journalist, expressed re- venge on a family member of of justice and fairness to regulation, money laundering, serious fraud, bribery their emotional NatPop gret that capital punishment a disgusting man is not just all and this shines through and corruption, investment fraud and many other (Nationalist Populist) reasons had been abolished so he diffi cult under the European in every aspect” major legal issues. Not to mention its role in to isolate Britain from Europe could only impose life Convention on Human Rights Chambers Legal Guide having shaped the law in the highest courts. but a Britain outside the sentences. but also would probably con- European Union would have vene UN Conventions so that no brake on new populist de- We now know that the six men the UK would have to quit the mands for harsher were fitted up by the police United Nations as well as the Telephone Roma House, 59 Pellon 1 Fetter Lane punishments. and Crown QCs and were com- European Union to force 01422 Lane, Halifax, West London EC4A 1BR pletely innocent. through this demand. 346666 Yorkshire HX1 5BE Also in Birmingham Indeed when I fi rst began my life in the Labour Party in the But as with today’s prison www.rahmanravelli.co.uk / [email protected] Nationwide Service early 1970s it was common in junky judges who cannot Continues on page 27 2 Mailbag ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, Botley Mills, Botley, Southampton SO30 2GB. Insidetime June 2016 No interest in quality education insidetime Star Letter of the Month a voice for prisoners since 1990 Congratulations to this months winner who receives our £25 prize YOI Tutor - Details withheld the national newspaper for prisoners published by ‘We need proper qualifications’ I was delighted to read in the That’s it, no other considera- Inside Time Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of April issue that Michael tion. The work carried out by The New Bridge Foundation, founded in 1956 to create links between the offender and the B Walker - HMP Littlehey Gove is an avid reader of the National Careers Service community. Inside Time, particularly his regarding the actual needs Just recently the media has been full of coverage of the government’s high regard of the ‘unvar- of learners to help with their A not for profi t publication. intentions to make all schools into academies. In my opinion, this is what is nished truth’ of the Mailbag rehabilitation is simply Inside Time is wholly responsible for its editorial required in the Prison Service. Michael Gove spouts on about ‘employability section. With this in mind, I ignored. I have lost count of content. Comments or complaints should be skills’ but the most education we get offered in prison is ‘healthy living’ hope that you will allow me the learners who have directed to the publisher and not to New Bridge. classes and level 1 maths and English, which barely covers what’s taught in the opportunity to share my entered my class saying Board of Directors primary schools. I can see employer’s queueing up to offer me a job with experiences of being a Tutor - ‘Boss, why have they put those ‘qualifications’. working in this extremely me on this?’ Trevor Grove Former Editor Sunday Telegraph, demanding environment in Journalist, Writer and serving Magistrate. “ I really cannot see my thinking-skills certifi cate getting me the hope that Mr Gove will This randomised allocation Dr Peter Bennett Trustee, New Bridge read it. leads to disruption in classes Foundation and former Governor of HMP Grendon very far in the real world! ” by disgruntled young men Geoff Hughes Former Governor of HMP Belmarsh John D Roberts Former Company Chairman and Forklift truck driving is available if you only have 3 months left to serve. If I would like Mr Gove to know who have no interest or need Managing Director employing former prisoners you are serving an indeterminate sentence then you can forget that. We need that my teaching colleagues for the course they have Louise Shorter Former producer, BBC Rough Justice to have proper skills and qualifications so that we can go in front of the and I are horrified by the been allocated to. My Alistair H E Smith BSc FCA Chartered Accountant, Parole Board and demonstrate that we can survive in the workplace. I really prospect of governors lessons are now more about Trustee and Treasurer, New Bridge Foundation cannot see my thinking-skills certificate getting me very far in the real world! having more autonomy crowd control and babysit- regarding education in ting than education. The Editorial Team What is required is for the Prison Service to talk to employers and ask them prisons and the proposed what qualifications and requirements would best suit their needs. Not what introduction of yet another To compound the problem, suits the politically correct education providers. Then put the necessary prison league table. This is a the deputy governor has courses in place and give us the chance to move forward. bad idea because the figures now demanded that all used to determine these classes are over-allocated to It is not rocket science, employers will give us a chance if we are qualified, so league tables will be ensure that they are always please give us the opportunity to qualify and turn our lives around. ‘massaged’ by governors to full. What this means is that Erwin James John Roberts Rachel make their establishment a proportion of the learners Editor in Chief Publisher and Billington OBE look good. who are shown as being Director Associate Editor Categorisation for deniers employed on courses are in I work for NOVUS and in my fact being turned away from Offi ce Manager Dave E Ferguson - HMP Wakefield opinion this organisation classes because they are Lucy Forde Provisions set out in the sentence EWHC 2596: Acbein) and the tutors it employs are full. You can imagine how Administration planning, PSI (19/2014) and Chapter focussed on providing the disheartening and demoral- Sonia Miah 4 of PSO 4700 (The Lifer Manual) all In fact a recent Freedom of best they can for the learners ising this is for the learners Layout & Design clearly identify that a prisoner who Information request has revealed in their care.