By Clare Jerrom, Reg McKay and Alex Dobson.
Woolf says prison crowding could cause more riots
Prison overcrowding is so bad that there is a danger of riots and a repetition of the disturbances at Strangeways prison in Manchester a decade ago, according to the lord chief justice.
Overcrowding has reached "intolerable" proportions, Lord Woolf, who chaired the report on the Strangeways riot, said. He told judges they would be irresponsible to ignore this factor when imposing sentences.
Lord Woolf told a criminal justice conference in London that the prison population was 44,000 and falling when he delivered his report on Strangeways.
"Now it is about 70,000 and expected to rise above 83,000 by 2008," he said. "If our criminal justice system is to work as it should, I cannot believe we can contemplate with equanimity a prison population of that size."
He added that courts should jail fewer offenders and for shorter periods. Judges should recognise that "they have no option but to confine the use of prison sentences to those offenders for whom there is no alternative and when they pass sentence, they should ensure they are no longer than necessary."
Source:- The Times Friday 21 June page 6
Elderly asked to report care abuse
Reports of bullying and abuse allegations made by people living in residential and nursing homes are to be published in annual welfare reports.
Residents of the 30,000 care homes in England are being asked to fill in a confidential "comment card" asking whether they feel happy, safe, well cared for and if they know where they can go for help.
People suffering from dementia will be able to indicate views to inspectors using diagrams.
Director of adult services at the National Care Standards Commission, Heather Wing, said the measures were designed to improve standards and stamp out abuse in nursing homes.
The scheme will be administered by the National Care Standards Committee.
Source:- The Times Friday 21 June page 6
Asylum plans ‘repugnant’ – Short
Tony Blair’s plans to crackdown on illegal immigration, were attacked by Clare Short yesterday, as she condemned the proposals as "morally repugnant" and "a very silly idea".
The International Development Secretary’s comments came as Britain and Spain prepared to water down their plans to link the European Union aid and trade that is given to poor countries with their record on immigration and asylum. The issue will be priority on the agenda at a two-day summit of EU leaders in Seville, Spain, starting today.
Short agreed with criticism levelled at the British-Spanish plan by France, Luxembourg and Sweden, which have warned that cutting aid could deepen poverty in poor countries.
"It was an idea that I’m pretty confident isn’t going to run. It’s really a very silly idea," she said.
The prospect of taking away aid from refugees from the Taliban regime who returned to Afghanistan was "a piece of nonsense," she added. "So it’s morally repugnant to sort of hurt the poor of the world in order to get your way with a different policy intent – but it wouldn’t work either."
Short, whose comments were made in an interview for this weekend’s GMTV Sunday Programme recorded yesterday, hinted that Britain and Spain would be forced to abandon their original plan.
Source:- Independent Friday 21 June page 1
Scottish newspapers
Police ‘fiddle’ crime statistics
Autism figures increase
New figures have revealed that the number of children suffering from autism in Scotland has increased by 22 per cent.
The statistics, revealed from a census of schools, have been seized by groups campaigning against the controversial MMR vaccine which counters measles, mumps and rubella.
The three diseases are also shown to be on the increase as more parents reject the MMR vaccine in spite of government declarations that it is safe.
Source:- The Herald Friday 21 June page 1
Hospital buy-out to cut waiting times
The Scottish executive has bought a private hospital, HCI in Clydebank, in a bid to cut waiting times.
Malcolm Chisholm, health minister, said the £37.5 million purchase would include the entire facility of 52 beds already in use with room for expansion. The hospital opened in 1994 at a cost of £180 million including £30 million of public money.
Source:- The Herald Friday 21 June page 1
Welsh newspapers
Care fears for victims of dementia
Huge variations in health services for older people with dementia have been uncovered.
A new report by the Audit Commission highlights a severe shortage of specialists, and big differences in the level and quality of care depending on where a person lives.
According to the report many people with mental health problems are not getting the appropriate level of care, and a survey of more than 700 Welsh GPs revealed that only 40 per cent feel they have enough training to diagnose and manage dementia.
The report also focused on the need for more training for staff in nursing and residential homes to help them care for older people with mental health problems, and that health and social care agencies should improve the way they work together.
Source:- South Wales Echo Thursday 20 June page 15
