Prison overcrowding
Times, Independent, Guardian, Daily Mail, Evening Standard, Gazette, Reuters, Today’s Family Lawyer, Oxford Mail, Bournemouth Echo, Eastern Daily Press, Telegraph & Argus, Cotswold Journal, North Norfolk News, South Wales Argus, Lancashire Telegraph Law Society Gazette Ireland, The Morning Star, and more than 200 other regional papers report that thousands of prisoners are set to be released earlier than planned, as the justice secretary addresses the prison overcrowding crisis.
President Nick Emmerson said: “The new Lord Chancellor has acted pragmatically and decisively to tackle a prisons crisis she inherited.
“It will be important to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place so that any risks to the public are minimised. The concerns of victims who are having to wait years for justice and then see offenders released early must also be recognised.
“We are encouraged that the Lord Chancellor appears to be very alert to this issue.
“The prisons crisis is just one of many connected problems in the criminal justice system following decades of underfunding and cuts.
“We have seen growing backlogs in the magistrates and Crown Courts, a shortage of lawyers, judges and court staff and a crumbling court estate. Probation services are still on their knees.
“When the justice system is in crisis the rule of law and public protection are at risk. The emergency in our prisons illustrates the consequences of the neglect of the criminal justice system.
“We hope this announcement will create the time and space for a more fundamental review of solutions to this wider crisis.”
Director of public affairs, David McNeill, was also interviewed by LBC News about the government’s plan to avert a collapse in the prison system.
Judicial diversity statistics
Global Legal Post reports on the latest judicial diversity statistics and found that ranks of female judges continues to grow but minority representation has increased at a slower rate.
President Nick Emmerson said: “much work to do before the judiciary truly reflects society at large.
“The number of non-barristers who hold the recorder position stands at 8% and has barely risen over the last 11 years. Until this percentage significantly increases, the lack of solicitors holding senior judicial posts will continue.”
TA6 property forms
Today’s Conveyancer publishes an interview with chief executive officer Ian Jeffery about the TA6 Property information form, after a consultation was launched last week.
Ian Jeffery said: “What that should give us is a lot more information about the practical concerns that people have, talking to those with concerns and those who have already adopted it and started gaining experience of using it in practice.
“Information comes in to us via lots of different routes and one of the primary routes for getting information is through our representative structures.
“Every geographical area in the country and every practice area has the opportunity to elect a member to our council. Some of the concerns people have raised have been routed through that representative; that’s what they’re there to do. And we’ve seen comments on social media and other publications.”
New Law Journal continues coverage of our six-month consultation on the updated TA6 form.
Chief executive officer Ian Jeffery said: “We want to hear from conveyancers who have used the forms and also those who haven’t and understand why they haven’t.
“We want to understand users’ experience and views of the TA6 form and its part in the wider conveyancing landscape and to identify improvements to the property form.”
Anti-Money Laundering
Today’s Conveyancer and Inside Conveyancer mention our advice on AML checks for conveyancing transitions.
Legal aid awards
Gazette continues coverage of the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards. The Law Society sponsors the Legal Aid Firm/Not-for-Profit Agency award which was won by Public Interest Law Centre.
Also worth a read:
- Investigators and neighbours struggle to understand Trump shooter’s motive – Financial Times (£)
- Voters of all parties back Labour’s plans to boost workers’ rights, poll shows – Guardian
- More migrants could drown because UK deals with EU have cut off dinghy supplies, says Border Force – Telegraph (£)
- Plan to combat police racism needs full support of home secretary, report says - Guardian
- Lawyer for Afghan families could oversee prosecution of SAS ‘killers’ – Times (£)
- Starmer plans to introduce AI bill in King’s Speech – Financial Times (£)
- Man charged with murder after human remains found in Bristol and London - inews
- Government enacts plans for early release of thousands of prisoners to avert the collapse of the criminal justice system – The Justice Gap
- Take it from a former prisons inspector: letting offenders out early won’t fix our broken system - Guardian