Category: Latest News

The Howard League for Penal Reform launched The Commission on Crime and Problem Gambling in 2019, and it is scheduled to end next year. The Commission seeks to answer three questions: What are the links between problem gambling and crime? What impact do these links have on communities and society? What should be done? A… Continue reading Problem Gambling and Crime

As fireworks are explosives, there are strict laws governing the sale, possession and use of them. The House of Commons Library has published a briefing paper, providing a detailed overview of the current provisions.   In brief Since January 2005, the sale of fireworks to the public has been prohibited, except from licensed traders. There… Continue reading Regulation of Fireworks

Even before the pandemic, there was a backlog in the criminal courts, which has worsened. The National Audit Office (NAO) has now produced a report on reducing that backlog. The NAO is the independent public spending watchdog; they produce reports examining government expenditure to judge whether value for money has been achieved. They also make… Continue reading Backlog in Criminal Courts

George Floyd dying in the USA in 2020 resulted in mass protests worldwide and marked a watershed in the fight against racism. In the aftermath of his death, the United Nations has produced a report analysing racial justice. The report found that the police use of racial profiling and excessive force was systemic in much… Continue reading Racial Discrimination – UN Report

The Sentencing Academy has produced a report reviewing ethnicity and custodial sentencing trends from 2009 to 2019. Over the years, several official reports have addressed the role of race and ethnicity in sentencing decisions. The current report looked at sentencing patterns for different offender profiles with two key issues that emerged. The first was ethnic… Continue reading Sentencing And Ethnicity

The Law Commission has published a set of recommendations aiming to address the harms that arise from online abuse. As a counterbalance, protections for freedom of expression are recommended to increase. The Law Commission is independent and was set up by parliament to keep the law in England and Wales under review and to recommend… Continue reading Modernising Communications Offences

Southern Water has been fined £90 million after pleading guilty to 6.971 unpermitted sewage discharges which polluted rivers and coastal waters in Kent, Hampshire and Sussex. The offences were held to be caused by deliberate failings; they were widespread and long term breaches causing major harm to protected areas, conservation sites and oyster beds.   The… Continue reading Record Environmental Agency Prosecution