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Should reporting restrictions on children convicted in court ever be lifted?

July 2010

When Jon Venables and Robert Thomson were convicted of the murder of James Bulger, their identities were revealed by the order of the judge.  Everyone then knew their names and what they looked like.  Those who are convicted of crimes below the age of 18 hardly ever have their identities revealed, for good reason.  A child who serves a sentence and makes amends for their crime should have a chance of living without being labeled as a criminal.  Jon Venables and Robert Thomson were vilified and had no chance of being rehabilitated without being given a new identity. 

Report criticises agencies approach to addressing gangs

June 2010

Today a triumvirate of inspector's publishes a report on under-18s in gangs and the work that is (or isn’t) done by government agencies. The slightly depressing thing about reading it is that it tells a familiar story – of money being spent and lots of meetings being held, of people trying to do the right thing but of little being achieved. Children in gangs frequently have miserable lives, where they are bullied into staying in the gang and into committing crimes.

(In)appropriate language?

May 2010

You may have seen the story in this week's Guardian about the magistrate in Blackburn who allegedly branded two boys appearing before him 'scum' for defacing prayer books and damaging a cross in Blackburn Cathedral...if not, you may want to have a read, if only for the insight it provides into the mind of one of the many thousands of lay magistrates charged with "upholding the law, making communities safer places and contributing to the reform and rehabilitation of offenders" as the

Action on disproportionality?

March 2010

According to a story in today's Guardian, the police equalities watchdog has raised concerns over police use of stop and search powers in light of evidence that some forces are disproportionately targeting people from ethnic minorities.

Left Foot Forward blog

March 2010

While Gordon Brown last night accused the opposition of “ramping up” public fear of crime, a report launched by the new economics foundation yesterday demonstrates the true costs of the political arms race over criminal justice policy engaged in by both main political parties over the past two decades.