News26-09-03

Scroll down for News, Voluntary Sector, Parliament, Prison Population, and Next Week.

News

INSPECTION HIGHLIGHTS RACISM
A report into HMP Lancaster has highlighted problems of racism at the prison.
Ananova 25/09/03 http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_822911.html
BBC News Online 25/09/03 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/3140322.stm

'UNSAFE' PRISON GETTING BETTER
Craiginches prison in Scotland, labelled 'unsafe' last year, has made significant improvements according to a new report.
BBC News Online 24/09/03 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3135828.stm

RESIDENTS OPPOSE ONLEY CAR PARK
Residents of Onley village, close to the site of three penal establishments, have voiced opposition over proposals for a new car park.
BBC News Online 24/09/03 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/northamptonshire/3135064.stm

EXETER ATTEMPTS TO TACKLE REOFFENDING
A new scheme called 'CARD' has been launched at Exeter prison to reduce the number of prisoners who return after reoffending.
BBC News Online 24/09/03 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/3133632.stm

ARCHER 'REFUSED TO HELP'
Despite his speech to the Howard League conference last week, it has been claimed that Archer refused to help teach illiterate prisoners basic skills.
Independent 23/09/03 http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/story.jsp?story=446144

FEATURE: PRISON EDUCATION
An article considering Jeffrey Archer's plans for prison education [see last week's bulletin].
Guardian 23/09/03 http://education.guardian.co.uk/egweekly/story/0,5500,1047310,00.html

FEATURE: PRISON NUMBERS SOAR UNDER LABOUR
A brief article on the rise in the prison population since 1997.
Telegraph 23/09/03 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2003%2F09%

CRUNCH DAY FOR DARTMOOR
A three month improvement period for Dartmoor prison has ended.
BBC News Online 22/09/03 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/3128074.stm

Voluntary Sector

Lucy Gampbell, Director of Action for Prisoners' Families, spoke of the need to remove mothers from prison at a fringe meeting of Women Liberal Democrats in Brighton. Link

Parliament

Parliament is now in Conference Recess and will return on 6th October (Lords) and 14th October (Commons). The Prime Minister's Office has announced that the Queen's Speech will take place on Wednesday 26th November. Prorogation is expected to take place on Thursday 20th November.

The Labour Party Conference begins in Bournemouth on Sunday. Link

Prison Population

The population of prisons in England and Wales on Friday 5th September 2003 was as follows:
This Week 73,661 - - Last Week 73,451 - - Last Year 72,221 - - Annual Change +1,440

The population of prisons in Northern Ireland on Friday 26th September 2003 was as follows:
This Week 1,131 - - Last Week 1,129 - - Last Year 1,021 - - Annual Change +110

The population statistics for Scotland are not published online by the Scottish Prison Service but the average population at any one time is around 6,500.

Next Week

The Prisons Handbook 2003 will be launched by the Rt Hon Ann Widdecombe MP at an event at Nacro Headquarters in London on Monday. For further information click here.

A Howard League judicial review over the mixing of girls with adults is to take place at the High Court on Monday. For further information click here.