Legal News

Justice Secretary Elizabeth Truss has unveiled the Prisons and Courts Bill, which the government says paves the way for the biggest overhaul of prisons in a generation and the delivery of a world-class court system.

The Prisons and Courts Bill is intended to transform the lives of offenders and put victims at the heart of the justice system, helping to create a safer and better society.

New legislation underpins measures outlined in the Prison Safety and Reform White Paper, which will transform how prisons operate.

Modernisation of courts will improve access to justice, better protect the vulnerable and further enhance the UK’s status as a world-leading centre for dispute resolution according to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

The Bill is also intended to reduce the £15 billion annual cost to society of re-offending – and sets in law for the first time that a key purpose of prisons is to reform offenders, as well as punishing them for the crimes they have committed.

Victims and vulnerable witnesses are also central to the Prisons and Courts Bill, with a range of measures that will bolster their protection in court.

The government is giving courts the power to put an end to domestic violence victims being cross-examined by their alleged attackers in the family courts, calling time on what the Justice Secretary has described as a “humiliating and appalling” practice. This follows an urgent review commissioned by the Justice Secretary in January 2017.

Offenders charged with some less serious criminal offences – such as failure to produce a ticket for travel on a train – will be able to plead guilty online, accept a conviction, be issued a penalty and pay the penalty immediately.

Justice Secretary Elizabeth Truss said:

“Prison is about punishing people who have committed heinous crimes – but it should be a place where offenders are given the opportunity to turn their lives around. I want our prisons to be places of discipline, hard work and self-improvement, where staff are empowered to get people off drugs, improve their English and maths, and get a job on release. Our courts should be places where victims get the justice they deserve – and where our outstanding independent judiciary can flourish and focus on the cases that matter.”

In prisons, Governors will take control of budgets for education, employment and health and they will be held to account for getting people off drugs, into jobs and learning English and Maths.

Data for league tables detailing how prisons are performing in these areas will be publicly available from August 2017.

Across the country, more than 2,000 new senior positions are being created for experienced prison officers to be promoted into – these posts will include specialist mental health training.

Duncan Lewis Crime Lawyers – Prison Law

Duncan Lewis crime lawyers are available 24/7, 365 days a year to advise at any stage of a criminal charge, including serious organised crime, violent crime, sexual offences, terrorism charges, human trafficking and modern slavery charges, robbery, drugs offences, business crime and motoring offences.

There are Duncan Lewis offices across England and Wales – and a Duncan Lewis criminal defence solicitor can attend interviews under caution within an hour.

Our expert criminal law department can also advise on prison law, including legal advice on Prison Service Instructions (PSIs) and Prison Service Orders (PSOs), access to healthcare and mental health services, disciplinary hearings before the Governor, applications to the Parole Board and Licence conditions.

For expert legal advice on criminal charges and Prison Law, call Duncan Lewis crime lawyers on 0333 772 0409.

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