The Howard League for Penal Reform

This week Mishcon de Reya was delighted to host the The Howard League for Penal Reform for their annual Parmoor Lecture. We were joined by moderator Andrea Coomber KC (Hon.), Chief Executive of the Howard League, and panellists Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, Lord Burnett of Maldon for a session reflecting on their latest paper, 'Sentence inflation: A judicial critique', which calls on the government to reverse the trend of imposing ever longer sentences. The lecture was introduced by James Libson, Managing Partner at Mishcon de Reya. Learn more about the paper: https://lnkd.in/e4wx7xwy

"I remember campaigning in 1990 against the prison population of 40,000. By September this year it was 88,000. And I don't think we can say those figures too often because they're not just figures, they're human beings." Nicola Padfield KC explains the key drivers of sentence inflation. 📺 Catch up on our webinar here: https://lnkd.in/ezCpMhCC

☎️ Our IPP hotline opens today from 1pm to 3pm - 01209 701 888. Our lawyers have trained volunteers at Peters and Peters LLP to host an advice line to support with queries about the changes in the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024. More info: https://lnkd.in/e_x2Vm64 #IPP

📩 Of the many issues our members in prison write to us about, the IPP sentence is one of the most common. It is not just those serving an IPP sentence that are concerned about the impact the sentence has. Read more from our members: https://lnkd.in/g9NbGvjZ #JusticeForIPPs

The annual children in custody report data starkly highlights the widespread – and worsening – failures in the youth custody estate. The survey found that 15% of children reported feeling unsafe, a more than two-fold increase on the previous year. The survey also shows that fewer children are attending education and a shocking 16% reported that they were not doing any education, training, work or interventions. All children need exercise, education and contact with other people if they are to progress and live healthily as adults. Instead, children in custody are being let down, by every measure, in a youth estate marred by violence and disarray. https://lnkd.in/er8TzgmG

Our members in prison tell us what they want the government to focus on, and what meaningful prison reform would look like to them. Find more insights here: https://lnkd.in/eQJJbxAH

Rochester prison: vermin-infested and unsafe. An Urgent Notification was invoked in September, after inspectors found dilapidated accommodation, rising violence and self-harm, and widespread drug use. Inspectors visiting the prison found people using cardboard and towels to fill gaps under doors to keep rats and mice from invading cells. The prison was found to be increasingly unsafe, with assaults against prisoners up by 67% over the past year, self-harm up 79% since the last inspection in 2021, and the positive drug testing rate at 42%. This report into Rochester prison underlines the terrible situation that the current government inherited on taking office. But it also underlines the fact that government ministers can only use that as an excuse for so long. Read our response: https://lnkd.in/eh5aXmk4

How are longer sentences contributing to the prisons crisis? In response to the many enquiries that we have received from politicians, journalists and the public, we have created a dedicated page on our website to explain. Take a look: https://lnkd.in/eBzgw94s

The lack of understanding of the process of recall can have significant consequences. To address this, we have created a resource for people leaving prison on licence, and their families, to help them better understand the process. 📺 https://lnkd.in/eGskC6r5

📩 Of the many issues our members in prison write to us about, the IPP sentence is one of the most common. It is not just those serving an IPP sentence that are concerned about the impact the sentence has. Read more from our members: https://lnkd.in/g9NbGvjZ #JusticeForIPPs