Daily News Summary
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Main stories
Gordon Brown `promises to change his ways'
All papers are reporting on how the PM handled his meeting with MPs yesterday. He was reported to have secured a significant backing to fight on in his role as PM, despite calls from some of his MPs asking him to step down. All papers are also analysing the election results of last week, especially the BNP's two seats in the European Parliament, many are holding the Labour party crisis to blame. Gdn1-10, All papers
Defendants may have to contribute towards own legal fees
New government proposals announced yesterday that defendants in some serious criminal trials will have to contribute towards the cost of their legal fees. Plans for means testing has come under criticism as some fear that it will lead to more miscarriages of justice as well as undermining access to justice for those who are unable to afford it. The group Young Legal Aid Lawyers say that the proposals are taking the criminal justice system towards a two tier system whereby socially excluded and vulnerable individuals, who are more likely to be caught up in the criminal justice system, will be offered limited access to justice and a `second-rate service'. Gdn14
Other stories
Schools fail to cater for pupils who are better suited to practical work
The Nuffield Review has found that those pupils who are better suited to `learning by doing' are simply not catered for in today's schooling system. The result is pupils leaving school with poor qualifications because their skills are not recognised and encouraged at school level. The report also criticises the lack of progress on the governments policy to reduce the number of so-called `neet (not in education, employment or training) teenagers'. DMail8, FT9, Gdn5
Recession can seriously damage your mental health
Researchers have found that more than one third of those out of employment had mental health problems compared to just 16% of the employed population. Times supplement
Recycle or face a fine
Every household in the UK will be forced to recycle their waste under new government plans. Failure to comply with the scheme could result in on-the-spot fines of £100 up to £1000 for `persistent non-compliers'. DTel12, DMail19, Sun23, DExp7
Families of the Omagh bomb victims awarded £1.6mill in damages
DMail1-7, All papers
Comments, editorials, letters
Criminal Justice still on probation
Two letters from John Harding (Visiting Prof. of Criminal justice Studies, Hertfordshire University and Mike Guilefoyle, Greater London NAPO) printed in response to a piece in the Guardian yesterday looking at the Dano Sonnex Case and the questions raised around the role of probation in the criminal justice system. A letter from Geoff Dobson ( Deputy Director, PRT) is highlighting the fact that government proposals set out in 'Breaking the Cycle of reoffending' in 2003 have failed to be implemented despite countless opportunities and so it possible to understand why many are still struggling to gain employment and resettle into society having been through the criminal justice system. Gdn31
`No leader,no ideas: a party at the gates of hell'
Writes Rachel Sylvester. Times23
`How Labour let the BNP flex its mucles'
Philip Johnston comments on the circumstances which led to the two seats won by the BNP. DTel19
`How our politicians failed to stop the rise of the far right'
Writes Ian Birell. Ind31
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These newspaper summaries are drawn up by staff at the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies. They are not intended to be comprehensive, or wholly uniform in their approach. Instead, they reflect our individual and collective perspectives on the day's coverage, including our judgements in terms of relevance to the Centre's concerns. On occasion, they also reflect the inevitable time constraints within which we work.
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