Exclusive: Guardian data confirms courts opt for tougher punishments, and shows the demographic of those charged Data: the full list of cases and convictions so far The courts are handing down prison sentences to convicted rioters that are on average 25% longer than normal, according to an exclusive Guardian analysis of 1,000 riot-related cases dealt with so far by magistrates. The data proves for the first time that the handful of high-profile individual cases – including a four-year sentence for inciting disorder on Facebook – are indicative of a more punitive general trend. This unprecedented access to national court results reveals that 70% of defendants have been remanded in custody to await crown court trial, fuelling a surge in the prison population, which reached a record high of 86,608 in England and Wales. The Guardian’s data also shows that 56 defendants of the 80 who have already been sentenced by magistrates were given immediate prison terms. This 70% rate of imprisonment compares with a “normal” rate of just 2% in magistrates courts. More than half those imprisoned were charged with theft or handling stolen goods, receiving an average of 5.1 months. This is 25% longer than the average custodial sentence for these crimes of 4.1 months seen in courts during 2010, according to Ministry of Justice statistics. Public order offences are leading to sentences 33% longer than normal and those convicted of assaulting police officers have been jailed for 40% longer than usual. The results reflect the limited sentencing powers of the magistrates courts, which cannot pass a sentence of more than six months for an individual offence. The Guardian analysis shows that the average prison sentence handed out by the magistrates to rioters so far is five months. This is double the usual prison sentence in the magistrates courts of 2.5 months, but that average includes many other more minor offences, including motoring offences. Prison governors said that the huge 677-strong rise in jail numbers over the last week sparked by this more punitive approach had pitched the prison system into “an unprecedented situation”. Emergency measures had been agreed with Prison Service chiefs in case the rapid rise in inmate numbers continued unabated over the next fortnight. The Prison Governors Association said medium- to long-term measures included opening enough new and refurbished jail accommodation to avoid the normal emergency measure of using police cells. The governors said they were confident the situation could be managed safely. The record prison numbers are putting jails and young offender institutions under increasing pressure: there are only 1,485 spare places in the system before prison governors have to put out the “jail full” signs. Prison Service chiefs are expected to outline the contingency measures , including increased overcrowding by doubling and even trebling inmates in cells designed for single occupation. Prison governors had already warned that the riots had put further strains on a stretched prison system, with inmates moved out of London and Manchester to create space for rioters jailed or remanded in custody awaiting trial. The Ministry of Justice said that its latest figures, up to noon on Wednesday, showed 1,297 people had appeared before magistrates charged with riot-related offences. A total of 772 had been remanded in custody, compared with the “normal” remand rate for serious offences of 10%. “This is causing massive problems for prisons,” said Harry Fletcher, of Napo, the probation officers’ union. “There are so many of them coming through the system, it is causing considerable problems. When people are being held so far from home it causes real difficulties for their families.” He said Nottingham jail alone had been sent a group of 30 prisoners from London this week. The total prison population on Friday last week stood at 85,931, which included 607 immigration detainees. As space runs out so the potential for work, education or rehabilitation will be “zero”, claims Fletcher. The justice secretary, Kenneth Clarke, will be hoping that the developing pressures on the prison system are purely temporary, otherwise they have the capacity to derail his plans to stabilise the jail population and bring in his “rehabilitation revolution”. The normal pressure valve for the prison system when it comes close to capacity is Operation Safeguard, which involves emergency use of police cells to house prisoners. But that option is now closed off as forces stay prepared for any further disturbances. In the medium term the Prison Service may be able to add portable accommodation within existing jails, and no doubt in the longer term the prospect of a new prison ship could be raised. The service has already announced plans to close two small jails, Latchmere House in London and Brockhill prison, at Redditch, Worcestershire, next month. One option could be to postpone these closures. A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said that there were enough places for those being sent to prison, including in young offender institutions, following the riots: “There is substantial capacity in the prison system. We will provide prison places for those committed to custody by the courts. We are developing contingencies should exceptional pressure be placed on the prison estate.” UK criminal justice UK riots Crime David Cameron Sentencing Social exclusion Prisons and probation Youth justice Alan Travis Simon Rogers guardian.co.uk
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Exclusive: Guardian data confirms courts opt for tougher punishments, and shows the demographic of those charged Data: the full list of cases and convictions so far The courts are handing down prison sentences to convicted rioters that are on average 25% longer than normal, according to an exclusive Guardian analysis of 1,000 riot-related cases dealt with so far by magistrates. The data proves for the first time that the handful of high-profile individual cases – including a four-year sentence for inciting disorder on Facebook – are indicative of a more punitive general trend. This unprecedented access to national court results reveals that 70% of defendants have been remanded in custody to await crown court trial, fuelling a surge in the prison population, which reached a record high of 86,608 in England and Wales. The Guardian’s data also shows that 56 defendants of the 80 who have already been sentenced by magistrates were given immediate prison terms. This 70% rate of imprisonment compares with a “normal” rate of just 2% in magistrates courts. More than half those imprisoned were charged with theft or handling stolen goods, receiving an average of 5.1 months. This is 25% longer than the average custodial sentence for these crimes of 4.1 months seen in courts during 2010, according to Ministry of Justice statistics. Public order offences are leading to sentences 33% longer than normal and those convicted of assaulting police officers have been jailed for 40% longer than usual. The results reflect the limited sentencing powers of the magistrates courts, which cannot pass a sentence of more than six months for an individual offence. The Guardian analysis shows that the average prison sentence handed out by the magistrates to rioters so far is five months. This is double the usual prison sentence in the magistrates courts of 2.5 months, but that average includes many other more minor offences, including motoring offences. Prison governors said that the huge 677-strong rise in jail numbers over the last week sparked by this more punitive approach had pitched the prison system into “an unprecedented situation”. Emergency measures had been agreed with Prison Service chiefs in case the rapid rise in inmate numbers continued unabated over the next fortnight. The Prison Governors Association said medium- to long-term measures included opening enough new and refurbished jail accommodation to avoid the normal emergency measure of using police cells. The governors said they were confident the situation could be managed safely. The record prison numbers are putting jails and young offender institutions under increasing pressure: there are only 1,485 spare places in the system before prison governors have to put out the “jail full” signs. Prison Service chiefs are expected to outline the contingency measures , including increased overcrowding by doubling and even trebling inmates in cells designed for single occupation. Prison governors had already warned that the riots had put further strains on a stretched prison system, with inmates moved out of London and Manchester to create space for rioters jailed or remanded in custody awaiting trial. The Ministry of Justice said that its latest figures, up to noon on Wednesday, showed 1,297 people had appeared before magistrates charged with riot-related offences. A total of 772 had been remanded in custody, compared with the “normal” remand rate for serious offences of 10%. “This is causing massive problems for prisons,” said Harry Fletcher, of Napo, the probation officers’ union. “There are so many of them coming through the system, it is causing considerable problems. When people are being held so far from home it causes real difficulties for their families.” He said Nottingham jail alone had been sent a group of 30 prisoners from London this week. The total prison population on Friday last week stood at 85,931, which included 607 immigration detainees. As space runs out so the potential for work, education or rehabilitation will be “zero”, claims Fletcher. The justice secretary, Kenneth Clarke, will be hoping that the developing pressures on the prison system are purely temporary, otherwise they have the capacity to derail his plans to stabilise the jail population and bring in his “rehabilitation revolution”. The normal pressure valve for the prison system when it comes close to capacity is Operation Safeguard, which involves emergency use of police cells to house prisoners. But that option is now closed off as forces stay prepared for any further disturbances. In the medium term the Prison Service may be able to add portable accommodation within existing jails, and no doubt in the longer term the prospect of a new prison ship could be raised. The service has already announced plans to close two small jails, Latchmere House in London and Brockhill prison, at Redditch, Worcestershire, next month. One option could be to postpone these closures. A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said that there were enough places for those being sent to prison, including in young offender institutions, following the riots: “There is substantial capacity in the prison system. We will provide prison places for those committed to custody by the courts. We are developing contingencies should exceptional pressure be placed on the prison estate.” UK criminal justice UK riots Crime David Cameron Sentencing Social exclusion Prisons and probation Youth justice Alan Travis Simon Rogers guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Exclusive: Guardian data confirms courts opt for tougher punishments, and shows the demographic of those charged Data: the full list of cases and convictions so far The courts are handing down prison sentences to convicted rioters that are on average 25% longer than normal, according to an exclusive Guardian analysis of 1,000 riot-related cases dealt with so far by magistrates. The data proves for the first time that the handful of high-profile individual cases – including a four-year sentence for inciting disorder on Facebook – are indicative of a more punitive general trend. This unprecedented access to national court results reveals that 70% of defendants have been remanded in custody to await crown court trial, fuelling a surge in the prison population, which reached a record high of 86,608 in England and Wales. The Guardian’s data also shows that 56 defendants of the 80 who have already been sentenced by magistrates were given immediate prison terms. This 70% rate of imprisonment compares with a “normal” rate of just 2% in magistrates courts. More than half those imprisoned were charged with theft or handling stolen goods, receiving an average of 5.1 months. This is 25% longer than the average custodial sentence for these crimes of 4.1 months seen in courts during 2010, according to Ministry of Justice statistics. Public order offences are leading to sentences 33% longer than normal and those convicted of assaulting police officers have been jailed for 40% longer than usual. The results reflect the limited sentencing powers of the magistrates courts, which cannot pass a sentence of more than six months for an individual offence. The Guardian analysis shows that the average prison sentence handed out by the magistrates to rioters so far is five months. This is double the usual prison sentence in the magistrates courts of 2.5 months, but that average includes many other more minor offences, including motoring offences. Prison governors said that the huge 677-strong rise in jail numbers over the last week sparked by this more punitive approach had pitched the prison system into “an unprecedented situation”. Emergency measures had been agreed with Prison Service chiefs in case the rapid rise in inmate numbers continued unabated over the next fortnight. The Prison Governors Association said medium- to long-term measures included opening enough new and refurbished jail accommodation to avoid the normal emergency measure of using police cells. The governors said they were confident the situation could be managed safely. The record prison numbers are putting jails and young offender institutions under increasing pressure: there are only 1,485 spare places in the system before prison governors have to put out the “jail full” signs. Prison Service chiefs are expected to outline the contingency measures , including increased overcrowding by doubling and even trebling inmates in cells designed for single occupation. Prison governors had already warned that the riots had put further strains on a stretched prison system, with inmates moved out of London and Manchester to create space for rioters jailed or remanded in custody awaiting trial. The Ministry of Justice said that its latest figures, up to noon on Wednesday, showed 1,297 people had appeared before magistrates charged with riot-related offences. A total of 772 had been remanded in custody, compared with the “normal” remand rate for serious offences of 10%. “This is causing massive problems for prisons,” said Harry Fletcher, of Napo, the probation officers’ union. “There are so many of them coming through the system, it is causing considerable problems. When people are being held so far from home it causes real difficulties for their families.” He said Nottingham jail alone had been sent a group of 30 prisoners from London this week. The total prison population on Friday last week stood at 85,931, which included 607 immigration detainees. As space runs out so the potential for work, education or rehabilitation will be “zero”, claims Fletcher. The justice secretary, Kenneth Clarke, will be hoping that the developing pressures on the prison system are purely temporary, otherwise they have the capacity to derail his plans to stabilise the jail population and bring in his “rehabilitation revolution”. The normal pressure valve for the prison system when it comes close to capacity is Operation Safeguard, which involves emergency use of police cells to house prisoners. But that option is now closed off as forces stay prepared for any further disturbances. In the medium term the Prison Service may be able to add portable accommodation within existing jails, and no doubt in the longer term the prospect of a new prison ship could be raised. The service has already announced plans to close two small jails, Latchmere House in London and Brockhill prison, at Redditch, Worcestershire, next month. One option could be to postpone these closures. A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said that there were enough places for those being sent to prison, including in young offender institutions, following the riots: “There is substantial capacity in the prison system. We will provide prison places for those committed to custody by the courts. We are developing contingencies should exceptional pressure be placed on the prison estate.” UK criminal justice UK riots Crime David Cameron Sentencing Social exclusion Prisons and probation Youth justice Alan Travis Simon Rogers guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Hotel implosions aren’t exactly unheard of in Las Vegas, but it’s not every day the condemned is a brand-new, never-opened luxury tower. MGM on Monday submitted a request to the county office to implode Harmon Tower, a luxury hotel that was supposed to be the crown jewel in the Strip’s…
Continue reading …Just two days after telling Aruba police that his traveling companion Robyn Gardner was missing, Gary Giordano tried to collect on the accidental death provision in the $1.5 million travel insurance policy he’d taken out for the trip, a source tells the AP . Giordano has since been detained as…
Continue reading …If you’re traveling through Logan anytime soon, be prepared for chatty TSA screeners. It’s in the name of security, not politeness. As part of the agency’s expanding strategy to try to weed out terrorists, all passengers in one of the Boston airport’s terminals will have to answer questions from a…
Continue reading …Police aren’t generally in the habit of destroying evidence from failed investigations—but the SEC is, according to one whistleblower. SEC attorney Darcy Flynn spilled the beans to Congress in July, saying that the SEC routinely destroys all documents related to its preliminary investigations if they don’t proceed. That appears…
Continue reading …Gwyneth Paltrow: actress, singer , chef , gangsta rapper , and … unlikely 9/11 hero? For one woman, yes. On the Morton Report , Lara Lundstrom Clarke recounts her chance encounter with the actress on the morning of September 11, 2001. Lundstrom Clarke was jaywalking across 7th street to catch her train when a Mercedes…
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Mumbai’s 5,000 lunch couriers down tiffins to support hunger striker’s call for anti-corruption agency The famous “dabbawallas” who pick up and deliver home-cooked lunch to hundreds of thousands of office workers in India’s commercial capital Mumbai announced the first strike in their long history on Thursday, in solidarity with the high-profile anti-corruption campaigner arrested earlier this week. The couriers are the latest to join protests across India that have seen tens of thousands of people taking to the streets to support Anna Hazare. The 74-year-old social activist leading the effort to force the government to set up a powerful new anti-corruption agency is maintaining his hunger strike in a high-security prison, even though he is now free to leave. The Mumbai dabbawallas – “dabba” refers to the tin box in which the lunch is held, “walla” means man – say they have been inspired by Hazare’s refusal to eat solid food. “We are breaking our 120-year tradition by not providing tiffins. This is the least we can do to support Annaji, who has been fasting for over 50 hours in inhuman conditions,” Kiran Gavande, the secretary of the Nutan Dabbalwala Trust told a local television station. The 5,000 dabbawallas in Mumbai would march on Friday to show their support, Gavande said. The lean men with their trays of metal canisters, each filled with three or four separate dishes and marked with a code designating the son, husband or grandson for whom they are intended, are one of the best-known sights of the city. Elsewhere there is little sign of the protest dying down. Although authorities have made a series of concessions, Hazare has refused to leave Tihar prison in Delhi, where he was detained earlier this week, until a venue for his public fast has been prepared. Outside the jail, crowds of supporters, including school children and students, gathered on Thursday afternoon. One 12-year-old carried a placard saying “Save My Future”. Sunny Kumar, a 28-year-old IT consultant, said he backed Hazare’s campaign. “We need someone who will listen to our problems and eradicate corruption from our society.” Kiran Bedi, a respected former senior police officer, said the deal with the authorities that would allow Hazare to fast for 15 days at a vast parade ground in the city centre big enough to accommodate tens of thousands of supporters was not a victory. “We are not playing games. We are doing this to move the country forward,” said Bedi, who was also briefly arrested this week, told reporters. About 2,500 Hazare followers were arrested earlier this week, provoking comparisons with draconian measures employed by British imperial rulers before India won independence in 1947. Amnesty International has issued a statement calling on authorities in India “to respect the rights to freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly”. Though few analysts expect the government to fall, in part due to weak political opposition, the crisis has increased lack of confidence in the prime minister, Manmohan Singh, 78, and the Congress party-led government mid-way through its second term. Economic and legal reforms remain blocked in parliament, while progress in the delivery of basic services is patchy at best. Hazare has tapped deep anger in India at the endemic corruption, both petty and large scale, that successive administrations have either fuelled or failed to tackle, and this has been compounded by the government’s mishandling. Anna Hazare India Jason Burke guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Mumbai’s 5,000 lunch couriers down tiffins to support hunger striker’s call for anti-corruption agency The famous “dabbawallas” who pick up and deliver home-cooked lunch to hundreds of thousands of office workers in India’s commercial capital Mumbai announced the first strike in their long history on Thursday, in solidarity with the high-profile anti-corruption campaigner arrested earlier this week. The couriers are the latest to join protests across India that have seen tens of thousands of people taking to the streets to support Anna Hazare. The 74-year-old social activist leading the effort to force the government to set up a powerful new anti-corruption agency is maintaining his hunger strike in a high-security prison, even though he is now free to leave. The Mumbai dabbawallas – “dabba” refers to the tin box in which the lunch is held, “walla” means man – say they have been inspired by Hazare’s refusal to eat solid food. “We are breaking our 120-year tradition by not providing tiffins. This is the least we can do to support Annaji, who has been fasting for over 50 hours in inhuman conditions,” Kiran Gavande, the secretary of the Nutan Dabbalwala Trust told a local television station. The 5,000 dabbawallas in Mumbai would march on Friday to show their support, Gavande said. The lean men with their trays of metal canisters, each filled with three or four separate dishes and marked with a code designating the son, husband or grandson for whom they are intended, are one of the best-known sights of the city. Elsewhere there is little sign of the protest dying down. Although authorities have made a series of concessions, Hazare has refused to leave Tihar prison in Delhi, where he was detained earlier this week, until a venue for his public fast has been prepared. Outside the jail, crowds of supporters, including school children and students, gathered on Thursday afternoon. One 12-year-old carried a placard saying “Save My Future”. Sunny Kumar, a 28-year-old IT consultant, said he backed Hazare’s campaign. “We need someone who will listen to our problems and eradicate corruption from our society.” Kiran Bedi, a respected former senior police officer, said the deal with the authorities that would allow Hazare to fast for 15 days at a vast parade ground in the city centre big enough to accommodate tens of thousands of supporters was not a victory. “We are not playing games. We are doing this to move the country forward,” said Bedi, who was also briefly arrested this week, told reporters. About 2,500 Hazare followers were arrested earlier this week, provoking comparisons with draconian measures employed by British imperial rulers before India won independence in 1947. Amnesty International has issued a statement calling on authorities in India “to respect the rights to freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly”. Though few analysts expect the government to fall, in part due to weak political opposition, the crisis has increased lack of confidence in the prime minister, Manmohan Singh, 78, and the Congress party-led government mid-way through its second term. Economic and legal reforms remain blocked in parliament, while progress in the delivery of basic services is patchy at best. Hazare has tapped deep anger in India at the endemic corruption, both petty and large scale, that successive administrations have either fuelled or failed to tackle, and this has been compounded by the government’s mishandling. Anna Hazare India Jason Burke guardian.co.uk
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