Monthly News Bulletin
Email Bulletin June 2008
Welcome to the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies' monthly email bulletin, bringing you a roundup of news, research, political developments, events and updates on our work.
WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO?
What is harmful? Who is responsible? What is crime?
The Centre's new `What is crime?' initiative kicked off this month with the release of `A crisis of enforcement: The decriminalisation of death and injury at work' (more below). Funded by The Wates Foundation, this project seeks to shed light on hidden or ignored crimes and harms under the themes of violence, environment and finance. Through a series of briefings, events and a national photography competition, we will be working to stimulate discussion about what is and isn't, what should and shouldn't be crime and criminal. For more information, click here.
A crisis of enforcement: The decriminalisation of death and injury at work
This new research and policy briefing was launched at a House of Commons meeting attended by over 50 people, chaired by Katy Clarke MP. The authors, Professor Steve Tombs and Dr David Whyte, argue that there is a crisis of enforcement in dealing with harm that takes place during work because the Health and Safety Commission has neither the means nor the will to tackle the real level of death and injury experienced because of work. More than twice as many people are killed during work than by homicide and that serious injuries outstrip that recorded by the British Crime Survey. You can read the full report here.
Following the launch of the report, early day motion no. 1855 was tabled by MPs.
Dr David Whyte, who co-wrote the report, said `...these crimes are more premeditated. [Bosses] have the opportunity to plan and prevent these deaths'. Metro (17/06/2008)
Over the coming months we will be engaging with parliamentarians in a consultation. We are also interested in what you, the reader thinks, of the approach of the above report. Agree or disagree - either way let us know your thoughts by e-mailing . Respond to Andrew Sparrow's blog on the Guardian here.
Community sentencers' research
The community order and the suspended sentence order: The views and attitudes of sentencers by George Mair, Noel Cross and Stuart Taylor provides the first independent analysis of the views of sentencers, reporting that they are generally positive about these new orders, but are concerned about the volume of legislation and changes to sentencing practice in recent years.
Also working with Professor George Mair, Roger Grimshaw and Enver Solomon submitted a report to the Ministry of Justice on options for evaluating the courts' use of powers to review community orders in the Community Justice Courts.
Criminal Justice Matters: Influencing Policy
The latest issue is available now and examines criminal justice policy making process in the themed section, edited by Professor Betsy Stanko of the Metropolitan Police and Royal Holloway (University of London). To view, please click here.
The Independent's editorial calls the latest issue of CJM `a welcome assault on "flat earth" politics' and argues the government have put `the chase for favourable headlines first and rigorous research to deal with crime a poor second'. Independent (04/06/2008)
The Una Padel Award 2008
The nomination process is now underway. We are inviting nominations in both the outstanding individual and outstanding organisational category. Further details about this year's award can be downloaded here.
Other stuff
Richard Garside, director, met with Louise Casey to discuss her report on children and communities, and was disturbed that she appeared to agree with a lot of what he said, then less surprised by her final report. Richard was perhaps better received at the Howard League's Commission on English Prisons, saying that a reduction in our reliance on prison as a means of social control needs to be placed within the broader context of inequalities of power and wealth. Meanwhile, Enver Solomon, deputy director, chaired a Govnet seminar for civil servants on 'The workings of the criminal justice system'. Enver also visited Maidstone Prison before being transferred to Long Lartin, as part of an independent review of race equality in the Prison Service. Roger Grimshaw, research director, attended a conference organised by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills at the LSC and NOMS, entitled `Offenders are our Business: delivering next steps in skills and employment for offenders.' Will McMahon, policy director, met with Caroline Lucas Green MEP to discuss the Centre's thinking about how to create a safer society.
Articles and speeches
`High-visibility gimmick won't work' writes Enver Solomon in a letter to The Guardian in response to new plans to make community punishments more visible. (18/06/2008)
Also, coming soon...
Why is Labour locking so many young people up?
Ten years of Labour's youth justice reforms: event. Thursday 17th July 6.00-7.30
The panel, chaired by Radio 4's Robin Lustig, will discuss the findings of the Centre's recent report which made an independent assessment of the government's progress, and will consider the challenges ahead for the youth justice system. To confirm your attendance please RSVP giving your name, job title, organisation and telephone number to
. To download the report, please click here.
Kids, knives and broken lives
Working with Professor Peter Squires, Roger Grimshaw, Enver Solomon and Arianna Silvestri have written a report for Granada Media providing background research on knife and firearms offences in five cities (London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, and Glasgow) to inform the Channel Four Street Weapons Commission chaired by Cherie Blair. The Commission hearings are to be broadcast in the week beginning June 30. The CCJS report is due to be published on the programme website, here.
Roger was also interviewed by the international TV news broadcasters Reuters TV, CNN, TV3 (Catalonia) on knife crime in the UK.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS...
Clash of the Titans
The Ministry of Justice has launched a consultation paper on: 'Titan prisons', which Jack Straw admits make use of 'planned overcrowding' The jails are estimated to cost £350 million each. The Guardian (06/06/2008). Download the consultation paper here.
Brown blames Thatcher...
for low social mobility in UK's poor families' as reported in The Telegraph. Telegraph (23/06/2008)
To read or hear it from the horses mouth, click here.
6 million at breaking point over housing
A new report from Shelter says that six million families are suffering stress or depression due to sky-high housing costs. To read in full, click here.
`Where has Louise Casey been for the last 15 years?'
Louise Casey's report aims to give the public a voice; Engaging Communities in Fighting Crime. Indeed, Miss Casey's report is brimful of common-sense criticism, articulating the views of millions of citizens fed up with a criminal justice system that often appears stacked in favour of offenders, according to The Telegraph. But, Professor Ian Loader asks `Where has Louise Casey been for the last 15 years?', and continues `the Casey report is an example of rhetoric that suggests total protection against crime can be a reasonable expectation'. The Guardian (19/06/2008)
And, you can read a report on a similar theme from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Community leadership approaches to tackling street crime.
And finally...
...an immigrant from `darkest Peru' faces questions.
IN THE NEWS
Youth injustice
The Centre's Youth Justice Audit was debated in the House of Lords. Lord Hunt, Home Office minister in the Lords, said 'The report was, as I said, a very helpful document. It was well written and is very useful for us to consider in the context of the youth crime action plan. I do not agree with the analysis of some noble Lords as to its conclusions, but I suspect that we will take what we will from it. It highlights both achievements and the major challenges that we face.'
Grim plight of young people in Britain
A report compiled by the four children's commissioners for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, to be presented to United Nations inspectors claims that there is widespread flouting of human rights. Concern is voiced about a punitive criminal justice system, poor public attitudes to children, lack of protection against physical punishment in the home and one of the highest levels of child poverty in Europe. The Guardian 09/06/2008. `Law creates underclass of child criminals', reports the front page of The Times. 09/06/2008
Innocent bystanders about to lose their homes... and Soaring energy prices will force six million households into the poverty trap
Binge drinking, binge eating and now bingeing on credit; the credit house of cards is about to fall and those who were good with money will also get it in the neck, according to Mervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England. Whilst, campaigning group National Energy Action warned that over six million people in Britain will struggle to pay energy bills by Christmas, leaving `in tatters' the Government's promise to eradicate fuel poverty by 2010. Britain's six major power companies are preparing for a fresh round of price increases of up to 40 per cent. The Times (11/06/2008; 20/06/2008)
Top cop: no faith in crime stats
Nobody believes official crime figures, according to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ian Blair. The criteria for classification keep changing, which contributes to crime statistics being `bewildering', said Sir Ian at a Policy Exchange lecture. He argued that they should be simplified and called for New York-style `crime maps'. The Mirror (20/06/2008)
QUOTEs OF THE MONTH
'The bulk of those young people who are put into custody are aged 16 and
17-they are not children; they are often large, unpleasant thugs, and they
are frightening to the public'.
Another classic from Jack Straw (Hansard 10/06/2008 Column 155)
And a familiar voice from Private Eye's `quote of the week'...
'If you look at the figures for the last 10 years the number of knife victims has remained relatively stable - although there have been spikes - at 200 to 220 a year'.
Richard Garside speaking on Radio Four's Today Programme.