Monthly News Bulletin
Email bulletin November 2011
WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO?
My Story: Young people talk about the trauma and violence in their lives
This report, funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and launched on 10 November, contains life stories from three young people convicted of serious violent acts while they were children. Psychotherapists, Dr Joseph Schwartz and Dr Rachel Wingfield's presentation demonstrated how the accounts of the young people reveal the depth of the trauma caused by maltreatment, loss and separation, framing the context for violence. Dr Roger Grimshaw, the Centre's research director, talked about how the stories had emerged from interviews conducted in prison. Those present recognised that policy should focus on traumatised children, rather than on `violent children'. Click here to download a copy.
Rioting psychotherapy - Eve Saville Memorial Lecture
Susie Orbach gave our 21st Eve Saville Memorial Lecture on 16 November at Congress House in central London and spoke about `Recession, riots, social change: Can psychotherapy contribute to a policy response?'. It was a challenging presentation that provoked a wide-ranging conversation in regards to how psychotherapeutic theory might help us think about what happened in inner cities during this summer's riots. An article extending her argument will be published by us in the new year.
A life sentence really? The resettlement of ex-prisoners with a conviction for a sexual offence and the role of a housing support charity in this process
The Centre's research associate, Helen Mills and Roger Grimshaw have undertaken research about life after prison for those with a conviction for a sexual offence. It primarily focuses on reintegration in a challenging context, dilemmas facing this group of ex-prisoners and those who are involved in their resettlement. We held a roundtable discussion with practitioners, specialists, and interested organisations, where the issues discussed included the challenges facing this area of provision given the localism agenda, and whether the tensions there are for practitioners attempting to combine `care and control' in their work. The report will be available to download in the January e-bulletin.
Re-launch of our works for freedom practitioners website
We have relaunched our free Works for Freedom practitioner website. It is simpler, cleaner and more interactive, placing an emphasis on sharing information on what makes for good practice. Check it out today: www.worksforfreedom.org
War, masculinity and trauma
In the November 2011 edition of the British Journal of Criminology, Shanaaz Mathews et al., explore childhood adversity in shaping masculinity among men who killed an intimate partner in South Africa. Ross Mcgarry and Sandra Walklate write on `The Soldier as Victim: peering through the looking glass' and Christopher Mullins discusses war crimes in the 2008 Georgia-Russia conflict. See here
OTHER STUFF
Story telling in social research
Helen Mills attended a Ken Plummer lecture on narratives and storytelling. Ken spoke about the proliferation of narrative approaches in academia and the stories he finds himself telling in his own life as someone living with a serious illness. He started his lecture with the thought provoking quote: `How different things would be... if the social sciences at the time of their systematic formation in the nineteenth century had taken the arts in the same degree they took the physical sciences as models.' Robert Nisbet, 1976
COMING UP...
December 2011 cjm: Coalition commitment to protect civil liberties and roll back state intrusion is unfulfilled argue criminal justice experts
The Coalition government's promise to `reverse the substantial erosion of civil liberties and roll back state intrusion' has remained unfulfilled, according to a wide-ranging review of its criminal justice policies in the December 2011 issue of Criminal Justice Matters.
cjm seminar: `That's not my name: Prisoner deference and disciplinarian prison officers' Friday 20 January 2012 - 2pm - 3.30pm
A paper by Dr David Scott, University of Central Lancashire. For some background information see here. If you would like to register an interest in this seminar please send an e-mail to
Places will be limited so advance registration is essential to ensure a personal invitation. The seminar will take place at the Centre's office in Vauxhall.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS...
The August riots in England - Understanding the involvement of young people
The National Centre for Social Research has released a report entailing the understanding of those who were involved in the summer riots. The study aimed to explore the triggers of youth involvement in the August riots from the perspectives of those involved and affected. Click here to download the full report. Furthermore, Professor Simon Hallsworth has conducted research into the summer riots, in an attempt to seek a new understanding of the motives of those involved. He states that the official inquiry into what caused the summer riots is `woefully inadequate'. For more see The Guardian, (28/11/11)
The money chart
The chart is a visualisation of relative prices, worth and debt of various things in the world, (mostly in the US). It can compare taxes of rich to poor, or the cost of Kate Middleton's wedding dress to the average household income. Click here to view
`Our ideas are much better than your destructive policies'
`The two latest reports by Frontex show that joint surveillance operations with countries neighbouring the European Union (EU) are still a priority for its member states. The externalisation of migration controls at the borders of the EU continues, and it has resulted in many migrants being deported.' See Migreurop, (14/11/11)
Cost cuts jeopardise `working prison plans'
The 23 per cent cut to the Ministry of Justice, combined with added pressures to cut further cost, could jeopardise rehabilitation plans and instead, could result in making prisons more like American profit-led jailhouses that exploit prisoners and fail to rehabilitate, warns The Royal Society for Arts. Public Finance, (07/11/11) Also see `Probation may be privatised to `cut costs and reoffending' - a plan to privatise the probation service has been drawn up by government officials. The proposal would lead to more than 200,000 people in criminal justice being dealt with by private sector organisations. The Times, (14/11/11) Click here for Politicshome.com coverage.
IN THE NEWS...
`Government finally see sense on inquest reform'
INQUEST welcomes the government's last minute decision to support the creation of the office of the Chief Coroner. For more see Inquest, (23/11/11)
Police officers avoid punishment by quietly resigning
Hundreds of police officers accused of misconduct are managing to escape punishment as they are allowed to resign discreetly through the `back door'. See The Guardian (01/11/11)
May's relaxed strategy to checks at UK borders
Theresa May faced questions about whether a secret decision taken by the Home Office ministers to relax passport checks on foreign people at ports and airports, may have allowed extremists to enter Britain. The Daily Telegraph, (07/11/11); for more see The Guardian (08/11/2011). Take a look at this oral ministerial statement by May where she talks about border security and announces that there was an investigation into unauthorised actions, taken during a pilot scheme which allowed Border Force officials to target intelligence-led checks on higher-risk categories of travellers. Home office, (07/11/11)
Without consent: how drugs companies exploit Indian `guinea pigs'
Western Pharmaceutical companies have seized on India as a testing ground for drugs, thus making the most of a large population with loose regulations; this has dramatically cut research costs for lucrative products being sold in the West, despite patients suggesting they never agreed to take part in trials. The Independent, (14/11/11)
Home Secretary to announce plans for new `gang injunctions'
Teenagers as young as 14 years old are to be banned from socialising with fellow suspected gang members as a solution to prevent a repeat of the summer riots. See The Daily Telegraph (01/11/11). New `gang injunctions' will include gang members being barred from `trouble spots', 'wearing face coverings' and 'walking aggressive dogs'. The Daily Mail (01/11/11). Furthermore doctors will be urged to collect more information from patients to help `stamp out' gang violence. For more see the Financial Times (01/11/11).
Heroin addicts costing thousands for health care and criminal justice
Each heroin addict appears to incur health care and criminal justice costs of £850,000 according to senior police chiefs. For more see The Daily Telegraph (03/11/2011)
Elderly and disabled abused by their carers
100,000 elderly and disabled patients may have suffered abuse by their cares last year. See the Daily Telegraph (04/11/2011). Also see `Elderly suffer as councils cut hundreds of millions of pounds' - the Coalition has admitted that councils are cutting millions from their nursing and home care budgets and as a result the elderly are suffering. The care services minister has accused `dozens of authorities of "clearly" failing to act "in the best interests" of their residents'. The Daily Telegraph (21/11/2011)
Two years out of a job, and you'll be forced to do voluntary work
Job seekers allowance claimants will be expected to undertake voluntary work, if they fail to secure a job after two years of claiming, proposes PM. The Daily Mail, (09/11/11) For more see `Community work seen as answer for long -term jobless'. The Financial Times, (09/11/11). Also see `Welfare shake-up' - workers claiming state help with childcare and housing costs will be expected to seek longer working hours, or risk sanctions that include loss of benefits, thus making Britain's welfare system one of the most demanding in the world. See: The Financial Times, (14/11/11).
Cable thefts are often an inside job admits network rail
MPs have been told that of the average eight cable theft incidences occurring per day many are an inside job. The Daily Telegraph, (09/11/11).
Criminal record checks carried out on children as young as ten
Latest figures show that, some youngsters are being `scrutinised' as soon as they reach the age of criminal responsibility. Those being vetted by the Criminal Records Bureau include children of childminders and teenagers who volunteer. The Daily Mail (17/11/2011)
Members of Duggan inquiry resign due to a `flawed and tainted' investigation by IPCC
The group set up to `ensure community confidence in the investigation of the police shooting of Mark Duggan' has seen two of its members resign. The Independent Police Complaints Commission appointed the three member group at the start of its investigation. The Guardian (21/11/2011). One of the members that resigned, Stafford Scott, claims that `it is time we recognise that we need a body truly willing and able to investigate the police'. The Guardian (21/11/2011)
Cuts push mental health services to the edge
Mental health services are `unfit for purpose', figures from an independent inquiry show. The Independent (21/11/2011)
Industrial air pollution costs Britain up to £15bn a year
Health and environmental damages from industry, annually costs billions, according to the European environment agency. The Guardian, (25/11/11)
Met fires Taser nine times at rail passenger with 99p toy gun
The Guardian, (25/11/11)
COMMENT...
For corporate welfare queens, and their crystal baths, there is no benefit cap - comment piece by George Monbiot. See The Guardian, (28/11/11)
Two wrongs do not make a right
Local authority and police decisions to seize the homes of family members of those charged in connection with the riots or convicted of terrorist offences punish whole families for one member's wrongdoing. By Frances Webber, (10/11/11). Also see story: `Fast-track eviction plan for landlords criticised' - social landlords have claimed their tenants are being stigmatised by the government's plans to evict tenants who commit anti-social behaviour miles from their homes. Inside Housing, (11/11/11).
CARTOON OF THE MONTH
Vince Cable and Occupy London protest, by Martin Rowson. The Guardian, (14/11/11)
QUOTE(S) OF THE MONTH
Labour MP, Tom Watson - `You are a Mafia boss, Mr Murdoch'. London Evening Standard, (10/11/11)
`A profession which should stand for integrity and prudence now supports a lobbying strategy that exploits misunderstanding and fear'. - Robert Jenkins, member of the Financial Policy Committee, hits out at bankers. The Financial Times, (23/11/11)