Wednesday 25 May 2005

By Maria Ahmed, Sally Gillen and Amy Taylor

Thousands of early release prisoners go back to crime

Thousands of prisoners who were freed under supervision are being
sent back to jail after being caught re-offending, according to a
report published today.

The number of prisoners released after serving short sentences for
burglary and theft who are then being recalled to jail has almost
quadrupled in four years, according to Home Office figures.

The Prison Reform Trust also publishes a report today which shows
that record numbers of prisoners freed from jail under probation
supervision are re-offending or breaking the terms of their
release.

Source:- The Times Wednesday 25 May 2005 page 1

Antisocial habits are in the genes, study finds

Children who display antisocial behaviour and psychopathic
tendencies may have their genes to blame.

Researchers from King’s College, London studied the family
histories of 300 sets of twins aged seven, identified as their
teachers as antisocial.

Source:- The Independent Wednesday 25 May 2005 page
7

Judge criticises ‘rape case’
police

A judge has called for an inquiry into how police failed to help a
teenage girl who had been kidnapped, repeatedly raped, beaten and
forced into prostitution.

Judge Martin Reynolds sentenced Agrol Xhabri, an Albanian, to 12
years at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

Source:- The Independent Wednesday 25 May 2005 page
7

Crisis-hit mental units ‘harm patients’

Mentally ill patients admitted to psychiatric hospitals are
becoming sicker in wards which are so short of staff that only
minimal treatment is offered, a survey has found.

A critical shortage of staff and bed occupancy rates of 100 per
cent mean most wards only offer treatment with powerful sedative
drugs.
Just one in five provides the psychological treatment cognitive
behavioural therapy, according to the survey by the National
Institute for Mental Health published by the Sainsbury
Centre.

Source:- The Independent Wednesday 25 May 2005 page
9

Asbos ‘are bringing back jail for
prostitutes’

Anti-social behaviour orders are increasingly being used against
prostitutes as a “quick fix” way of clearing women off
the streets, campaigners warn.

Source:- The Guardian Wednesday 25 May 2005 page 8

Abuse affects school work

Children who are abused and neglected at home are more likely than
their peers to do badly at school, to have behaviour problems and
to become victims of bullying, according to a report by the
NSPCC.

Source:- The Guardian Wednesday 25 May 2005 page 10

New Labour pair call poverty rethink

Labour should return to its founding principle of fighting poverty
by raising taxes on the rich, two New Labour thinkers say in a
policy paper.

Source:- The Guardian Wednesday 25 May 2005 page 13

What a difference a day makes

A fast-track programme designed to tackle social problems in
deprived communities is turning the visions of local people into
reality. A report on the Real Time Community Change programme in
the London borough of Barnet.

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 25 May 2005 page
7

Siege mentality

Two reports have highlighted the poor state of mental health
inpatient services, plagued by violence, alcohol and drug abuse,
compounded by staff shortages

Source:- Society Guardian Wednesday 25 May 2005 page
8

Dead Boy ‘may have been kicked’

A coroner heard that a three-year-old boy was found dead covered in
bruises on New Year’s Day.

Deraye Lewis could have been kicked or punched in the abdomen. His
mother Donna Humphrey took him to hospital the day before he died
because he was suffering vomiting and stomach pains.

Nicolas Halling has been charged with murdering him and assaulting
Humphrey.

Source:- Daily Telegraph Wednesday 25 May page 6

Scottish news

A study published today shows psychopaths are born anti-social and
are not corrupted by bad parenting. 

Researchers who studied twins found that antisocial behaviour was
strongly inherited, while in children without psychopathic
tendencies antisocial behaviour was caused by environmental
factors.

Source: – The Scotsman Wednesday 25 May 2005

Welsh news

Teachers want HMIs back

Teachers are calling for school inspections in Wales to be carried
out by local authorities rather than the by the private
sector.

The National Union of Teachers Cymru will call for the change at
the Wales TUC conference today.

The NUT said that making financial profits out of inspections
belonged to a “discredited past”.

Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 25 May

Parent fined for child absence

A parent was fined for not sending her daughter to school yesterday
at Denbighshire Magistrates Court.

The mother, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, pleaded
guilty to not ensuring that the 13-year-old went to school between
January 2005 and March 2005.

She was fined £200 and £75 costs and warned that if she
is ever prosecuted for the same offence again she would face a
custody order.

Source:- Western Mail Wednesday 25 May